Requirements
by Three-Steps-Ahead
Summary: "What do people tell you about me, Miss O'Malley?" "That you're ruthless." "In every aspect of my life." He closed his eyes, lips ghosting over hers, taking in that sweet taste of nectar in their gloss, "I'm ruthless in business and in pleasure."
1. Chapter 1

**Alrighty. So this story is VERY AU. I'm flirting around the Waking of the Dragons Arc, but be mindful that this won't exactly fall in line with the episodes. I've just got a different way of going about things.**

**Yes, this is a SetoxOC story. There will be plenty of competition for him as i feel his affections don't come out very well unless he's being "threatened". haha.**

**I've kinda been wanting to write this idea for awhile, so here it is. Please read and enjoy (as i hope you will). There are several OCs in this story as I felt i needed a few more in my "cast" since this doesn't really focus on Yugi and his gang. It's basically about Seto. lol.**

**Enjoy!**

**-TSA**

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><p><span>Requirements<span>

"_I'm gonna run right to, to the edge with you, where we can both fall in love. I'm on the edge of glory…" –Lady GaGa "Edge of Glory"_

Chapter 1:

Hundreds of faces, friends and enemies alike. Of course, in his case, everyone was an enemy. He was Seto Kaiba, an eighteen year old multi-billionaire who was only steps away from ruling the world. The most prestigious company sat in his hands and the rest of the world was willing to comply to his demands. If they didn't, well, he'd have them bought out or run out. Business was a cruel game, and if he couldn't be the best at dueling, he might as well take his victory as the top of the business industry.

Sipping on a glass of champagne, he surveyed the room with his sapphire blue eyes that he had been told were renowned for their piercing gaze. Fine by him…He set aside his half drank glass while shifting through crowds of people, ever so often shaking the hand of an elder CEO, who wished him to meet the younger generation that would run his company. Blah, blah, blah. He rolled his eyes as a young woman was twirling in front of him. With a curt nod of the head, he dismissed any flirtatious glance.

The last thing he had time for was a pesky young lady.

Nearly tripping on the foot of a drunken man, he scowled while his arm was grabbed to keep him on his feet. Straightening out his jacket and tie, he glared at the man standing beside him. He wrestled his arm free and started making his way toward the small bar. He felt the sudden need to drink. When his scotch was set in front of him, he saw that he had been unsuccessful in escaping that man.

"You never say 'hello'." The blonde pouted, bottom lip stuck out, "I thought we had, _at least_, progressed to friends."

"I'm not friends with anyone, Lionel." Seto took a sip of his scotch, "If I were friends with the men here, then I wouldn't be at the top of the pyramid in the business world."

"My apologies for not bowing, Mighty Pharaoh…"

"Cut the shit, Lionel. What do you want?"

The blonde ordered a drink, shrugging his shoulders, "I think you know the answer to that."

"I won't merge with your company." Seto smirked, "I'd rather watch you lose all your funding so I can buy you out."

"I've got too much pride for that bargain, Kaiba."

"Suit yourself." Seto picked up his drink and turned on his heel, walking out to mingle amongst the other CEOs, "The offer remains the same. Forfeit your company or I'll simply have it destroyed."

It was a simple request, really. If he expected to even remain in the business world then he needed to play his cards right. But knowing Lionel, that bastard would find a young lady to take as his wife and take her company. There were plenty of eligible candidates and if those girls decided to flirt with Lionel then that gave him more time to plot how to take apart his competition. Should a merge happen, Lionel had the opportunity to surpass him.

But he was confident in that not happening. If any of the other CEOs knew about Lionel, they knew he was a whore. Seto paused while finishing his drink and setting it on the tray of a passing waiter. There were so many "ifs" coming up. His brow furrowed as he thought on how he could eliminate the "ifs". His first job would be assuring that Lionel couldn't merge, which meant eliminating his choice in companies. Lovely. This was becoming a hassle…

"Herr Kaiba…"

It was a banner day for running into people he hated.

"I didn't figure you were considered eligible to attend this event." Seto turned his ice glare to Siegfried Von Schroider, "You have yet to create something of worth to this world."

"Your joking has yet to cease." Siegfried rolled his eyes while sipping on a glass of red wine, "My apologies for being worthless in your eyes."

Seto hated the mocking tone in his voice, "Between you and Lionel, I don't know which is more pathetic."

"Come off it, Herr Kaiba. Your arrogance is your folly."

"That's why I'm number one."

"You say that as if you have no competition!" Siegfried smirked, "There is a certain _someone_ who stands in your way."

Seto raised a brow, though he looked less than concerned with that proposition, "Pegasus has taken a leave of absence-"

"And his daughter has taken over."

The smirk on Siegfried's face made Seto cringe, though he was careful to hide it. He glanced around the room in search of anyone with a resemblance to Pegasus, "Since when did he have an offspring?"

"She's adopted." Siegfried took a sip of his wine, "I'm surprised you weren't 'in-the-know'."

"Don't patronize me." The venomousness of his words made Siegfried shudder, "Who is this woman?"

Siegfried pointed across the room to a short girl wearing six inch pink heels. She had boy-cut, blonde hair that tumbled across her forehead. Her black rimmed spectacles made her green eyes look beady, but overall she was an attractive individual. But he could hardly consider her a serious business woman since she wore a pair of "booty shorts" with a pair of black tights under them, topped with a white blouse under a navy jacket.

"Samantha Crawford. She's enchanting to talk to, I insist you introduce yourself!" Siegfried lifted a brow when he saw Seto glare at him, "Come now, Herr Kaiba. You're being stubborn."

"What did I tell you about patronizing me?"

"You simply told me not to do it." Siegfried gestured for someone, "If _you_ won't introduce yourself then _I_ will do it for you."

Seto was tempted to punch Siegfried, but the fact that he needed to present himself amongst these other businessmen restrained him from proceeding with it. He fiddled with his tie, wanting to loosen it, yet he only succeeded in tightening it. Taking a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, he gave a nod of the head to the blonde woman that strode up beside Siegfried. She greeted him with a kiss upon the cheek before turning her gaze to him.

"Seto Kaiba, I presume?"

Her voice was delicate in all manners aside from the crispness of her articulation, "You talk as if we're acquainted."

"Your life is no secret." She sighed, bored with the topic already, "Do you expect me not to know the _second_ best duelist in the world?"

Seto brushed off her insult, "You've obviously forgotten who stands at the top of the gaming industry."

Samantha laughed, throwing her head back, "I didn't forget, Silly!" She smirked as his cheeks turned a slight scarlet, "But I see _you_ have forgotten."

"You offer little competition-"

"Correction." She hummed the word for a moment, "I am your greatest competition." She gave a little tug at Siegfried's sleeve, "Sieg, could you be a dear and ask the bartender to make a dry martini for me? Thanks." Seto was slightly impressed with how she left it as an order, not a question. When Siegfried walked off, she gave Seto a smile, though it twisted like an agitated cobra, "Your industry would not exist without my father's. I _am_ the key stone."

"You're nothing but a stepping stone." Seto swished the contents of his glass around, watching the champagne climb up the sides, "I've already surpassed your father's industry."

Samantha sighed profusely, a look of pity crossing her pale face, "They aren't kidding when they say you are blinded by your ambition." She winked at him while Siegfried walked back over to them, handing her the martini, "Thanks, Darling." She gently patted Siegfried on the cheek, "You look as handsome as ever, Herr Schroider."

Seto grinned, musing on the way Siegfried's name rolled off her tongue. He watched as Siegfried attempted to keep himself composed when he was under her little spell. Impressive was the least he could say. Samantha was the only women he had met that could handle herself this well amongst men.

"I'm curious about your father's leave of absence," Seto said.

Samantha shrugged, "He needs the time off. You know very well of the dealings in Duelist Kingdom."

"That was over a year ago."

"Yet it still weighs on his conscience." Samantha took a sip from her martini, "In the meantime, he has left things in my care. But enough about me!" She winked at Siegfried, who was peering over her shoulder with the expression of a lost puppy, "Tell me, Kaiba, who here interests you?"

Seto was unsure where her question was implied, "I'm currently trying to buy out Lionel Kensington."

Samantha laughed, "How coincidental! I am too!" She took a step closer to Seto, tapping him on the nose, "But I meant the other 'interest'…"

"I have little patience for these _'princesses'_." He noticed that Siegfried seemed surprised by that, "I'm investing in business, not pleasure."

"I think you'll soon find out that they go hand in hand."

Samantha delicately sipped on her martini, trying to hide her cheerful smirk. Her eyes danced gleefully when Siegfried asked her to dance and Seto was glad that he was back to being alone.

He decided that it would be best to stop picking up drinks and abandoned his champagne glass. Glancing about the room, he noticed a few young women staring his way. He rolled his eyes and stomped off, less than amused by Samantha's belief that business had anything to do with pleasure. Before he strayed too far, an elder gentleman with a rotund stomach grabbed his arm. Seto nearly lost his balance as he was tugged backward and into a suffocating hug.

"Kaiba, My boy!" He gasped for air as he was finally let go from the bear's grasps, regaining his footing with limited grace, "My God, you've grown! Last time I saw you, you were a tiny tyke!"

Seto grimaced as his hair was ruffled. He straightened out the wrinkles of his suit jacket while staring at the giant fellow in front of him, who was six foot seven with a gut that was once considered a symbol of wealth. His mustache and hair were sprinkled with grey, though his eyes were endlessly youthful. Even Seto couldn't deny him a tiny smile, remembering how this man, Mister Gunter Thompson, had been fond of his intellectual ability the instant he was admitted into the corporate world. It was true that he hadn't actually seen him in person since he was fifteen. Not exactly a tyke, but certainly not as large as this fellow.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Mister Thompson."

"So, tell me! Where are you standing? I can only imagine at the top! You were certainly an ambitious boy as I hope that much about you hasn't changed!"

"I'm in control currently." Seto tried to ignore Samantha's words stabbing at his brain, "The competition is dwindling."

Mister Thompson threw an arm around his shoulders while pointing over to where Siegfried and Samantha were dancing, "Who'd have thought that Pegasus would have a lovely daughter? She's no pushover, My Boy."

"But she's a woman." Seto heard him chuckle, "There's a ruthlessness demanded of this work-"

"She's the closest to buying out poor Lionel." Mister Thompson saw Seto's eyes flicker with disgust, "I think that just has to do with him tripping over her."

"Siegfried is the same…No respect." Seto surveyed the room, realizing someone in particular was missing. Why it took him until now to notice was bemusing him, "Where's Ronan O'Malley?"

Mister Thompson's eyes dimmed and he drew in a deep breath, "Passed away, I'm afraid. He's been battling Pancreatic Cancer for the past year and a half."

"I never knew-"

"He was a very private man." Mister Thompson chuckled, "Very few of us were aware of it."

Seto found himself staring at Samantha, who was mingling again with several young entrepreneurs, and he had to laugh at the dropped jaws and sparkling eyes. She was certainly intriguing, but to him it was simply because of her control, "How's his wife doing?"

"Last I heard, it's been the hardest for her. Though I've been married for thirty years, there was a degree of admiration Ronan and Deanna had for one another. She's torn herself away from reality."

Seto's brow furrowed, "Where will his company go? He has an empire over in the United States."

Mister Thompson's smile had returned to full life, "His daughter was named his heir. Damnable Ronan snubbed his Board of Directors, yet all of them have agreed to assist the young lady."

Seto was more than appalled by that statement. Another girl? What the hell were these men thinking? O'Malley's empire would crumble just as Rome did when incapable hands took over. That notion made him wrinkle his nose, "Is Ronan an _idiot_?"

"I figured you'd say that."

"I've never even heard about his daughter. Why would he entrust his company to a young woman?"

"He must have his reasons. May he rest in peace!"

Seto grimaced, "May he not roll over in his grave…" He declined a drink as Mister Thompson helped himself to a glass of wine, "Should we be expecting her to make an appearance as the representative of his corporation?"

"For your sake, I certainly hope so! I hear she's a real diamond!"

Seto rolled his eyes, "I'm not impressed by rhinestones…"

"You'll be impressed with her…" Mister Thompson nudged his shoulder, "She's a raven haired young lady. I never have believed that grey eyes could be spellbinding, but I've not met a fellow who hasn't tripped when he's met her gaze-"

"You'll meet one soon," Seto muttered, referring to himself.

"What _if_ you are impressed with her?"

"That'll be a cold day in Hell."

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><p><strong>OK. that's kinda it... chapter two is up and i hope that you all continue on to it! you'll actually get to meet Gwen, this "raven haired young lady". haha. Trust me, Seto is never going to swoon over her. that's just soooo not him. He's going to be Seto, a ruthless business man.<strong>

**review if you're feeling up to it. :)**

**-TSA**


	2. Chapter 2

**here's chapter two! enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter 2:<p>

Hell had frozen over. Her life had been sucked out of her. Gone without regret. What was she expected to do? Run a company? No, he couldn't have passed away. God wasn't cruel enough. An empire in her hands? How foolish was he? Had nearing death made him delusional? She couldn't do it, not even with his Board of Directors, men who she didn't trust. The simple fact remained- It was in his will.

Her black dress felt like it was suffocating her as it was already tight to her skin. She fidgeted with the sleeves of it, her cheeks a flushed red at the temperatures her body was reaching. And staring down at the coffin as it was buried into the earth made her feel less and less alive. This was it. He was truly gone. She dabbed at her eyes, though her crying had been spent in the church. There was nothing more to cry about- Those tears couldn't bring him back.

Glancing at her mother's veiled face; she heard her weeping still, tucked under the arm of the one man that's stoic nature appalled her. Their eyes met and she tartly nodded to him, though he gave her little indication if he took it as an insult. But as she stomped off out of the churchyard, she felt his presence lingering close. So much of her wanted to lash out at something, and he probably knew that. When she whirled around her palm met the flesh of his cheek, her action startled her more than him.

"Anything else, Little Miss?"

She hit him one more time, though this time it was a punch to his chest. She hated how unfazed he was, "Why would he do this?"

"You're his daughter-"

"Shut up." She slightly grinned, "That was rhetorical."

"Of course, Little Miss."

She hated him addressing her like that. He wasn't that much older than her and he didn't act like he knew her well enough. She remembered the first day her father introduced him, how apprehensive she was, how shy. He was a giant, especially to her eleven year old self. Now, seven years later, she still hadn't grown accustomed to his constant watching over her. The perfect guardian? Though that may have been true, she didn't like the fear of a thousand eyes on her when he would appear.

"I believe we are to be on our way to Japan."

She shook her head, "Only I'll be going."

"Your father would not approve-"

"If you haven't cared to notice- He's dead."

"Of course, Little Miss."

She grimaced while hugging herself and watching as her mother was ushered off by several of the company's employees. All alone, save for Niall, in the churchyard, the scent of a rainy evening and an unforgiving death stinging the air. She could feel his spirit, her heart wanting nothing more than to return home to find it was just a terrible nightmare.

"Would you care to leave, Little Miss?"

Her brow furrowed and she felt tears burn in her eyes while she stared at where everyone had been standing as final words were spoken. She couldn't even remember most of what was said. Turning to Niall, she gratefully accepted his arm and nestled herself against his strong bicep as they walked to where her family's limo was waiting for them. She wasn't eager to listen to her mother's sobs on the drive home, but it looked like she had little choice in the matter.

She slid inside just as the rain began to fall again, Niall sitting down beside her. There was a comfort in his stoic stare, the pursing of his lips, his strong framed build. Nothing ever bothered him, and she often wished she had the ability to brush aside the troubles of the world. She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Despite his hovering due to her father's request, he was a good listener, strictly because she never really had to say anything for him to understand.

He might just have been her only friend in the entire world.

"Madam O'Malley." Niall waited for her to finish wiping her eyes, her mascara running down her cheeks, "It seems that the Little Miss must travel to Japan. There is a conference being held-"

"She has no business with those men. We are in a period of mourning-!"

"Madam, please." Niall watched as Gwen lifted her head from his shoulder, "Sir O'Malley would only expect her to carry on his legacy. It would appear weak if he is not represented."

"She is needed here with her family!"

Her mother was back to crying again and Gwen gave Niall a shrug. Whether she liked it or not, she was flying to Japan within a day. Her father's legal advisor informed her of the tickets that had already been bought and that she would be a day or two late, but her tardiness was expected. She'd need every ounce of courage she could muster in order to compose herself in the corporate world. Those men would try to eat her alive, but with Niall; she hoped they'd back down.

. . . .

"It's not like I'm a child anymore!" Gwen furiously threw the bundle of clothes in her arms into her suitcase before stomping back into her giant closet that counted as a whole room, "My father left me with his company. I'm not going to let him down." She tossed several pairs of shoes off a shelf, still fuming. Glancing over her shoulder she saw Niall sitting quietly, watching her as he always did, "Why doesn't anyone think I can do this?"

He shrugged, "That's not for me to say, Little Miss."

She stomped over to her suitcase, her shoes drowning in her clothes. She tied up her long black hair in a ponytail before continuing her angry tirade, "I'm not a child! I don't need to be followed around-" She glanced over at Niall, "No offense…"

"None taken."

"I hate how my mother just pats me on the head and tells me to go play with my dolls. She wanted me married off at sixteen, so she could avoid taking care of me!" Gwen walked back over to Niall, "I'm a big girl. I tie my own shoes and everything."

She saw him laugh a little when she held her tennis shoed foot out to him, the laces untied. He tied it tightly while she giggled like a silly school girl. It was nice to have someone just tolerate her whining and complaining. Leaning closer to him, she gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. It was a gesture of appreciation, at least, that was what she declared it when she was sixteen. Their little secret, a tiny kiss, it meant nothing more than she was glad he would listen to her.

"Have you packed your things, Niall?"

He stood up, "It would seem that I have spent my entire evening listening to you."

She scowled while he gave her a nod of the head and left the room. Once the emptiness ensued, she found herself with a tiny laugh and a smile while she decided to fold up her clothes and organize her suitcase. She felt like she was packing away her entire closet, which was practically impossible. Her evening gowns were stowed away carefully, and part of her was nervous to be on her own. Though she could look like she was twenty five, she was only eighteen.

She heard the door to her bedroom open and she peaked around the side of her closet to see Niall had returned, though he was accompanied by Monsieur Jacque La'Danza, her father's, now her, president of business strategy. She blushed at her current state, hair tangled in a ponytail, gym shorts rolled two or three times, an oversized t-shirt, and her favorite running shoes. But she managed a smile when he gave her a roll of the eyes.

"I do hope you won't be wearing such atrocious things during the conference," Jacque muttered.

Gwen stuck her tongue out at him, "I didn't realize that I'd insulted you."

"Without my guidance, you would be a mess." He clicked his tongue while taking two tickets out of his pocket, "You won't be on your own, Missy. Your hotel is booked and Niall will be at your side at all times-"

"I would certainly hope not." She giggled while Niall gave her a look of disapproval, "My showers are strictly between me and the water."

Jacque was less than amused by her joke, though he noticed that Niall was blushing, "Please leave your _charming_ humor at home."

"Sorry, Monsieur."

"As I was saying, Niall will be at your side at all times. I am warning you ahead of time that these men are wolves. Fresh, innocent lambs won't be pitied." He caught her gaze and she felt a chill spark down her spine, "Of course, we will be at your every call should you need assistance."

"I appreciate your loyalty to my father's company," she said, though it sounded like something she wrote on a cue card.

"Keep that in mind, there are few who will abide by that."

She wrinkled her nose, "Who should I look out for?"

Jacque seemed overly pleased that she asked such a thing. He began flipping through the clipboard in his hands until he stopped upon a certain picture, "Lionel Kensington. From what I've been told he's a terrible womanizer. Heavy drinker, irresponsible CEO who has put his company in debt thanks to his gambling habits. He is currently hoping to merge with someone's company, and I implore you to avoid such a deal."

Gwen glanced over his shoulder at the picture of Lionel, "The least I can say is he's attractive."

"Beside the point." Jacque flipped through a couple more pages, "Siegfried Von Schroider. I recommend you address him as Herr Schroider. Pleasant fellow with exquisite taste in wine." He lifted a brow as Gwen rolled her eyes, "He runs Schroider Corp, which is the finest gaming company in Germany. He's a brilliant mind with an unbelievable talent with technology. Entertain his interest a little; he'd be one to work alongside to better understand the business world."

Gwen was, again, staring at his picture, "He's got pink hair. Are you serious?"

"Will you listen to anything I say?"

She held her hands up as a sign of peace, "Sheesh, you really don't know how to have fun."

"And you know how to have too much fun." He flipped to the final page while glowering at her, "Lastly-"

"Don't tell me I have to stay away from _him_," Gwen giggled.

Jacque narrowed his eyes on her, "Seto Kaiba. Ruthless with no limits on his ambitions. He's possibly the most powerful CEO in the world. I advise you to keep your distance."

"What's so scary about a guy my own age?"

"It's that fact alone." Jacque turned on her, eyes taking in her playful gaze until she shivered, "He took over Gozaburo's company and drove the man to his deathbed. He's a master at manipulation, skilled with deceiving you until your company is in his hands. Heed my words when I say he's dangerous."

But Gwen was hardly listening. His picture was enchanting. He had the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen, and his confident smirk was enough to make her knees shake. Why did he have to be handsome? It would be easier to avoid Lionel (and, frankly, Siegfried), but it didn't seem fair that she would be advised not to get familiar with Seto Kaiba. She figured if there was anyone in the business world who could help her, it would be him.

"I'm actually pissed that you've told me to avoid him," she muttered.

Jacque rolled his eyes, flipping to the front page on his clipboard, "For your father's sake and for the company's stake, please stay away from him. You are no longer a teenage girl. You are the CEO of O'Malley Financial Corporation. There is no time for your foolishness."

Gwen nodded her head, mentally noting that she needed to stop acting like a girl. But she really wasn't keen on being completely emotionally detached. Not that she figured Kaiba would be a potential lover, but several other CEOs would be there. But that was hardly the proper thought for a young woman who had just inherited her father's company.

"You will be leaving tomorrow at seven in the morning. It will be, at a minimum, a thirteen hour flight. Sleep well, Missy."

She gave Jacque a nod of the head as he set the tickets on her nightstand and left the room. She stuck her tongue out at him as he turned his back. Smiling widely, she glanced at the outfit she had picked out for the plane ride. Khaki pencil skirt, navy Ralph Lauren jacket, white blouse, and red peek-a-boo heels…Only one more night in Chicago, in her mansion home, in her own bed. Alone again, save for Niall, who watched her start fiddling with the gold chain around her neck.

"He can be such a bitch," she laughed.

Niall watched as she set her suitcase on the floor and kicked off her shoes, crawling into her bed. When her head hit the pillows, she was staring at him, "Is there anything else you need, Little Miss?"

She turned over onto her stomach and peered at him from under her long lashes, "Why did you decide to take the extra ticket?"

"It would only seem right that I accompany you."

"That's your answer?"

"Yes, Little Miss."

Gwen was hardly satisfied by that, but decided against pressing him on it. She dismissed him with a 'goodnight' and bundled herself up in her blankets and pillows. Sleep came easily, though she was plagued by the tender memories of her father, who had built an entire financing empire from scratch as an immigrant from Ireland. That blood ran thick in her veins and she prayed that it wouldn't fail her.

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><p><strong>next will be Gwen's first encounter with Seto and these other CEOs (aka, Gunter, Samantha, Siegfried, Lionel, etc...) update will be relatively soon! if ppl are interested, I wouldn't want to keep you waiting. :)<strong>

**-TSA**


	3. Chapter 3

**woah! that was certainly unexepected! :) thanks so much for the reviews/faves/alerts! **

**here is a chapter for you as i promised to update upon finding who was interested in this story! i currently have eight chapters written so updates will be relatively frequent upon knowing that people are continually interested. :)**

**enjoy!**

**-TSA**

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><p>Chapter 3:<p>

"Do you want for me to accompany you?"

"I think you can just wait by the car." Gwen noticed he was giving her his typical silent, concerned look, "I don't want these people to think I can't handle myself."

"It's not that, Little Miss." He watched her twirl out of the bathroom; wearing a sparkling, sequence dress that came halfway down her thighs with dolman sleeves and a jeweled brooch below a plunging, v-neckline. Despite his fondness of how sexually appealing she looked, he reminded himself that it wasn't like _they_ were going out on the town, "Is that a wise choice in attire?"

"Probably not." She giggled while he shook his head, "I might as well look attractive."

"If that's the case, then I won't be waiting by the car."

She wrinkled her nose, "They're businessmen. I doubt anyone will notice me."

"I am still advising you to be careful."

She hated that tiny leak of concern in his voice. Biting at the insides of her mouth she tried to think what would be the most reasonable course of action. It was true that she'd never met any of these men before, but she didn't want to come off as inexperienced, though that was entirely truth. Walking into the bathroom, she fiddled a little more with her makeup, applying a deep red lipstick. When she looked into the mirror, she saw Niall watching her.

"Fine. You're right." She turned around and set her hands on her hips, "I should have you accompany me."

Niall didn't smile, didn't laugh, he just nodded his head while picking up his suit jacket. He cut a good figure in all black, a silver tie accompanying his shirt. He offered his arm to her, which she gratefully took. Nothing but business. Walking down to the main level of the hotel, she found that her chauffer was already waiting for her with a limo. Sliding in with Niall at her side, she watched Domino City flash before her eyes as they were pulled downtown.

She drummed her fingers on her lap while the lights of the passing buildings brought her into a daze. When she began tugging at the sequence of her dress, Niall took hold of her hand. Glancing over at him, she managed to smile through her pursed lips while taking in a deep breath.

"You're nervous."

"That shouldn't surprise you."

Niall tucked a strand of her raven black hair behind her ear, "Your father wouldn't have chosen you if he didn't think you could do it."

"That's a lot of faith to put in me. I've never been one for responsibility." She pulled her hand from his and resumed staring out the window, "If life was one big party, I'd actually survive."

There were no more words spoken as they arrived in the city of Tokyo. It was a bit of a drive, but she wasn't going to complain too much as the door to her right was opened and she stretched her legs out of the limo. Niall was soon at her side as they were escorted into the towering hotel, where several other people were being ushered in. She could feel the flash of cameras from the news reporters, and the light of it all was making her sick.

She clung close to Niall even as they walked inside. The establishment was absolutely gorgeous, reminding her of the Marriot hotels back home where her family often stayed during a vacation. She followed after the hoards of people until they were in an almost ballroom looking chamber. Eyes were following her and Niall, whispers lingering in the air, though she couldn't make out more than one or two words. She knew they were asking who she was.

She found her knees wobbling in her Gucci, open-toe platform sandal that had her four inches off the ground. That wasn't often hard for her to walk in, but all the unfamiliar faces brought her back to her years of learning how to walk and dance in them. She found herself at ease when Niall handed her a glass of champagne, though advising her not to drink it too hastily. She sipped on it carefully while watching the sets of people that were dancing so gracefully.

"I'm doomed," she muttered, lips pressed to her glass.

Niall was surveying the room, "Did Jacque bother to tell you who you should talk to?"

Gwen began to laugh when she saw Siegfried Von Schroider enter the room, "He told me one, and I'm not drunk enough to go say 'hello'."

She swore Niall laughed at that, but it was certainly subtle. Taking another couple sips from her champagne glass, she found herself watching the waltzing couples. How elegantly they danced without a single care in the world. Of course, why would they need to care with the world at their fingertips? Swishing the contents of her glass around, she found herself waiting for the moment that Seto Kaiba would enter the room, though she was bracing herself for the instance that she would faint.

"You must be the little O'Malley Cat!"

Gwen wasn't sure where the booming voice came from, but she was swept into a tight hug. Balancing herself once she was let go, she tugged at the skirt of her dress to better conceal her legs, though that was a futile effort, "I'm Gweneth O'Malley, if that's what you mean."

"Why, of course!" The man was a giant. At least six foot seven with a rotund belly, though a cheerful smile beneath his peppered mustache. He had charming eyes and Gwen found herself at ease, "The name's Gunter Thompson. You probably don't remember me! The last time I saw you, you were six years old." He lifted her chin up, inspecting each feature of her face, "My God, you've grown into such an enchanting young lady. The 'Belle of the Ball', if I do so boldly say!"

"Thank you, Sir." She was blushing a dark scarlet, "I hate to be so blunt, but I really need some help. I've never been to this sort of gathering and I'd like to be able to present myself as the CEO I am." She set her drink down on the table beside her, "Could you help me become acquainted with everyone here?"

Mister Thompson seemed more than pleased that she had asked such a thing, "Of course!" He glanced at Niall, who looked to suddenly be on guard, "That is, if your bodyguard doesn't mind."

Gwen glanced over at Niall and he gave her a nod of the head, "He won't mind as long as I am well taken care of."

She linked her arm with Mister Thompson's and proceeded to be led around the room. She lost count of all the people she met within the hour and her mouth felt exhausted from all her smiling. She was offered a glass of red wine, which she cheerfully accepted as she was escorted over to where a couple elder gentlemen were conversing heartily. Blushing at their immediate compliments and teasing of why she was with Gunter, she tried to find a way to spare a word or two in their conversation.

"I heard that Kensington fellow has gambled away his company."

"He spends too much time with women and booze. I can't believe he's even made it _this_ far!"

"Is there anyone willing to merge with him?" Gwen gently asked.

The first man laughed, "Not at all! There are currently two CEOs competing to buy him out."

"Who might they be?"

Mister Thompson cocked his head over his shoulder, chin pointed toward a spunky blonde who was wearing a pink, draped, jersey bodice dress with a heavily jeweled neckline, "Samantha Crawford, current CEO of Industrial Illusions."

Gwen watched Samantha, who was sipping on a glass of chardonnay, from the look of it, "She's beautiful."

"Quite the enchantress, I here," one of the men chuckled.

"You might want to introduce yourself to her. She's the only other female CEO here."

Gwen smiled, but suddenly her body went rigid. Her lips, matching the velvet color, hovered above her glass of wine. He had finally arrived, confident with every step and every turn of the head. His blue eyes were lit by sparks of lightning in his demanding gaze, a gaze that she wanted to be turned to her. Running her tongue along her top lip, she watched him saunter around the room with as dignified an air as a king in the court of his most loyal followers and his closet enemies.

Sure, Jacque, just stay away from him…

"Then there's Seto Kaiba." Mister Thompson was chuckling, "He's been threatening Lionel for his company. He's as ruthless as they get."

"Such a shame to be ruthless and handsome…" she muttered so none of the others heard her.

She decided to dismiss herself from Mister Thompson's chaperoning, though she told him she was grateful for him helping her around. She held her glass of wine in both her hands while surveying the room for Niall. Being out of his watchful eye was making her nervous. Sipping on her drink, she fretfully circled around the crowds of people until she was sure she was probably even farther from Niall than she intended.

Leaning against the wall, she tried to ignore the aching of her feet and the occasional quake of her knees. Bad shoe choice for her first event…She found herself thinking about how many more events there were in the span of the next few weeks. Once it was over, she could return to her fluffy bed back in Chicago-

"Excuse me, Waitress, could you get me a refill on chardonnay-"

"Excuse you. I'm not a waitress." The blonde lifted a brow, her face turning a dark scarlet, "Oh Dear! My apologies!" She bit her bottom lip, though after further examination of Gwen, she began to smirk, "Well, how can you blame me? You look like one of the cabana girls!"

Gwen's brow furrowed while Samantha Crawford began to laugh lightly, "I look like a cabana girl?"

"With the cut of your dress, I'm surprised I'm the first person to have assumed such a thing!" Samantha stole a glass off the tray of a passing waiter, "But do tell me, who are you?"

"Gweneth O'Malley."

Samantha smiled widely, "You're O'Malley's heir! Truly marvelous to know there's another female in this business!"

Gwen wasn't sold by the fake smile. That little insult still stung, "You must be Samantha Crawford."

"The one and only!" She gave a bow, examining Gwen's dress again, "Jovani? The least I can say is you have good tastes." She spun around in a circle, "I happen to fancy the same designer."

"I'm glad we have something in common." Gwen smirked while shaking her hand, "How fares your business? I've heard your father is on leave."

Thank God for Mister Thompson…

"Still booming. I don't have to do much, if you want to know the truth." She laughed while sipping on her new glass of chardonnay, "My father created Duel Monsters, and the companies here all fall under his umbrella."

"Must be nice to have such power…"

Samantha smiled, and Gwen thought it to be genuine, "It comes when you have confidence. Even if you're weak, you can't let someone see it."

Samantha gestured for Gwen to follow her and the two began to walk around the room, discussing similar topics and gossiping. Gwen was finding herself relieved to be around someone who looked to be her own age and was in the same position. When they circled around the dance floor, muttering about how the music was too slow, a tall fellow strode their way, and his long pink hair gave him away.

"Fraulein, who might be here accompanying you?"

"Herr Schroider, I'm Gweneth O'Malley." She held her hand out to him, which he gracefully swept into his own and pressed a kiss to her skin, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine." Siegfried turned his eyes to Samantha, and Gwen swore she heard him sigh, "Fraulein Crawford, it seems we meet again."

"You know I do enjoy your company." She giggled while linking her arm with his, "I believe it is my turn to ask you for a dance."

Gwen's eyes were wide, almost begging her not to leave her. But it was off to the dance floor with them, though Samantha looked less than pleased. It must have just been a silly exchange that they had come up with. Whatever it was, it left her wondering about their "relationship". She picked up a new glass of red wine from the tray of a passing waiter, grateful to have something to sip on.

"Waitress, could you get me a whiskey on the rocks?"

Her eyes narrowed and she slowly turned around to meet a pair of sapphire blue eyes. She froze though only for a moment while remembering what he had asked her, "I'm not a _fucking_ waitress."

Seto Kaiba lifted a brow, sizing her up with a tiny smirk, "With that dress, how can you blame me for the mix up?" He laughed while she shifted uncomfortably in her silver heels, "You look like a cabana girl. Nonetheless, do me a favor and get me a drink-"

He was interrupted when she threw her glass of red wine at him, the liquid sliding down his face and staining his white collared shirt, "Get your own drink."

She set her empty glass aside while stomping across the room. She was soon joined by Niall, who didn't ask her about what exactly happened while she stomped outside the hotel. Waiting for her limo felt like forever with Niall's silence and her frustration. When the car door opened, she rushed in with limited grace, possibly flashing Niall as she crawled in. She threw her heels across the seat, hitting him in the face, but he hardly flinched.

"I should say I warned you about the dress…" he muttered.

"Shut up." She couldn't avoid the tiny smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth, "Maybe I should listen to you more often?"

"Maybe, Little Miss."

* * *

><p><strong>hope you liked it! Not so sure Gwen made the right impression on Kaiba, but at least he'll remember her by it! Gwen's got quite a bit to learn it looks like! and niall might start a streak of always being right. haha<strong>

**leave a review if you're feeling generous! update will be in another two or three days.**

**-TSA**


	4. Chapter 4

**wow. thanks a bunch for the reviews/faves/alerts! you're all spectacular! **

**here is chapter 4. i'm feeling the need to update for everyone. hoping i read this enough times to vanquish all minor errors. :)**

**Disclaimer: don't own YGO or the song Seduces Me (which i highly recommend everyone look up. It's by Celine Dion. IDK about everyone else, but i feel like it is TOTALLY Seto and Gwen's song. love to know if you agree or disagree.)**

**alrighty! enjoy!**

**-TSA**

* * *

><p>Chapter 4:<p>

Who did she think she was? The audacity to make a fool out of him in front of his subordinates! Just the thought of it was driving him insane. Gweneth O'Malley, heiress to O'Malley Financial Corporation courtesy of her father's untimely passing away. Did she just figure that made her a CEO? She had no decorum, no sense for how to be successful in the business world, especially with her ridiculous attire. Cabana girl- How was he to suspect that she wasn't a waitress!

He slammed his fist on his desk, hoping to shake himself from his momentary lapse. He had work to do, the perk of being a CEO at the age of eighteen. He was a mastermind to say the least, though it seemed that paperwork had become his match. Sipping on the lukewarm coffee he had brewed at five o'clock in the morning, he glanced at the digital clock at the corner of her his desk- Only eight in the morning now. His head wanted to rest on the pillows of the couch in his office, but he wouldn't allow himself to doze off so soon.

He needed to finish his fucking paperwork then, maybe, by three in the afternoon he could take a nap. Flipping through the contacts of the current convention of corporations, finding himself too distracted, he pulled up the file on Gweneth O'Malley. He wrinkled his nose while searching for something that would jump out at him about her. But all he got was that she was in beauty pageants since she was six, winning several titles including Miss Illinois, which she has been reigning for the past three years.

Not impressive. That just meant she was a Prima Donna.

Oh, and, Gunter, her eyes aren't that pretty.

He rolled his eyes at her pageant pictures that were plastered all over her file. The only thing he could admit was that she looked remotely…stunning…in a bikini. Shaking his head, he flipped through the next few pages, though going past one that caught his eye. He turned it back to find a picture of her sitting at a table leaning over a chessboard. That was certainly unexpected. He pulled up the link to the article, which featured a picture of her holding up a trophy.

Chess champion? Judging by the date of it, it had certainly been awhile since she'd competed. Six years ago? But the article was more interested in the fact that she boasted a 190 as an IQ. Impressive, though not as much as his 210 was. He smirked, clicking out of the webpage to continue skimming deeper through her files. Oh, the perks of being the genius he was. Nothing could ever be kept secret and he had access to information that most people dreamed of.

Deciding that he was probably done digging around, he read over the last little bit written about her. So much of it made him wonder where she even wanted to take her life. There wasn't a piece that stated that she was being trained to take over for her father in the instance that he passed away. She had no guidance? Ronan must have gone insane at some point when he chose to give his company to her. Closing out of the window, Seto stared at the drawings of his theme park he planned to build in the U.S.

Another tiny little dream of his, or, at least, when he was a child it was considered a dream. Everything he faced was sheer reality. In the orphanage it sounded innocent to want to make a theme park that would be free to underprivileged children. People could look at that and say that there was a heart inside the monster. But no one was willing to give him that sort of credit. Of course, he didn't mind. He wanted them to fear him and respect him for that reason alone, not because he had a soft spot from knowing that he was an orphan.

Closing his computer under the notion that he'd gain nothing in his current state of mind, he rose from his seat and decided to see if a walk around Domino would make him feel any better. Not that he figured he was welcome much of anywhere in the city he ruled, but he needed to stretch his legs for a little. He told his secretary that he was not answering any calls until he returned. Strolling outside, he found himself squinting into the sunlight while he made his way down the practically empty street.

. . . .

Waking up was possibly the biggest bitch in the world, and she was less than keen on listening to her. She just wanted to sleep off last night's bullshit. Rolling over onto her back, she glanced at the closed door of her room, wondering if Niall was still asleep or if he was even in the hotel at all. She sat up under the notion that waking up was winning the battle and wandered out of her room, sliding her robe on as she went. Shuffling into the main room, she saw Niall walk out of the kitchen area with a cup of coffee in his hands.

"Morning…" she yawned.

Niall nodded his head to her, "Did you sleep well, Little Miss?"

"Could have been better." She smiled as he handed her the cup of coffee, "How about you?"

"I slept well, Little Miss."

He sat down at the table, picking up a newspaper that she figured he had been reading.

Gwen shuffled around the room until she saw a dress hanging up on the door. She smirked while walking over to it, hands running over the was made of chiffon, looking to be Grecian inspired with two wide gathered shoulder straps, a ruche-d bodice accented by diamonds, and a tiered skirt, all colored wine red, a delicious color to her eyes. She held it up to herself, spinning around in a circle until she saw Niall staring at her.

"Did my mother send this over?" she asked.

Niall shook his head, "It was brought over this morning by Madam Crawford. She left a letter for you."

He handed her the red envelope that he had stowed away in his jacket.

Opening the letter, she skimmed its contents, which were typed, all the while smiling and scowling at the other CEO's insults and compliments.

**Dear Miss Gweneth O'Malley,**

**I had this dress shipped to me a little while back. It's made by the designer Tony Bowl, who I highly recommend you look into for the future. His dresses are GORGEOUS!**

**I decided to send this your way. Unfortunately for me, it's much too big! It swallows my stomach, let alone my thighs and bosom. I think it would certainly fit you better than I, and I would have hated to have it never worn! It's much too elegant for my closet to wear. Hope you don't find me insulting! My recommendation for you is to assure it fits justly and, should that be the case, wear it tonight. You'll dazzle everyone in the room! Not a bad idea for your first day at our ultimate formal event…**

**Oh, I forgot to congratulate you for owning Seto Kaiba. I haven't met someone with the audacity to drench him in red wine when he insults them. Honestly, I didn't even have enough guts to do so, which makes me even happier to know you! I've been informing my fellow businessmen that you are no pushover. They haven't exactly taken my word on it, but once they see you tonight as a smart and sexy woman, they'll get a sure wakeup call!**

**See you tonight!**

**-Samantha Crawford**

Gwen laughed a little; deciding that her last few sentences made up for the fact that she was implying that she was certainly weightier. She set the note on the kitchen counter while glancing over at Niall, who had set the newspaper down and was just watching her. Ambling over to him, she sat up on the table while staring at the dress that she had hung back up on the door.

"It's really pretty," she whispered.

"Madam Crawford seems to mean well," he replied.

"Do you wish to accompany me tonight?"

Niall faintly smiled, "It would be an honor, Little Miss."

She was giggling as she hopped off the table and spun around in a circle like a ballerina. She was sweeping across the room until she lost her balance and tumbled over onto the couch. Adjusting her nightgown and robe, she was blushing madly while Niall lightly laughed.

"Alright, so I'm not the most graceful dancer," she muttered.

"I didn't say that, Little Miss."

"But you were thinking it." She stood up with a shrug, "Will you dance with me tonight?"

"If that is your wish, then I will do so."

"Lovely." She glanced back over at the dress, "I want the world to see that I can handle myself in every aspect of this business. I might not know much about financing, but I need to prove that I'm still in control."

"And dancing will help with that…?"

Gwen wrinkled her nose, grabbing one of the couch pillows and throwing it at him, though to no avail since he caught it, "You're such a smartass!"

"I meant no offense, Little Miss." But he was trying to restrain himself from laughing, "On a serious note, I believe you should apologize to Sir Kaiba."

"He can kiss my ass." She rolled her eyes, "Fucker…asking me to get him a drink. He thinks he's so high above the world-!"

"Which is why you were swooning over him?"

Her face beamed scarlet and she bowed her head, "I wasn't _swooning_."

"You've already admitted that he's handsome."

"Yeah, but he didn't exactly have a _charming_ personality." She threw her hair out of her face while glowering at him, "I'm a CEO now!"

"Then you've got to start behaving like one." Niall rose to his feet and walked over to her, "None of this 'American-tough-girl' stuff."

She wrinkled her nose, "I have to be polite?"

"That's the idea."

"Then I'm going to hate this more than I thought."

. . . .

It looked like there were three times as many people as from the previous night, which was making her stomach churn violently. Her nails were digging into Niall's arm while they walked, announced, into the ballroom of the hotel. Her damned American Pride was getting her nowhere and she wanted her heart to stop beating so fast so she could breathe better. Her dress felt incredibly tight around her waist and her ankles were shaking in her Jimmy Choo, mirror leather platform sandals.

She avoided taking a drink that was offered to her by a handsome waiter while allowing Niall to escort her through the room. When they reached one of the few tables in the room, he pulled a seat out for her, which she eagerly collapsed into. She asked him to get her a drink, something strong, and leaned her elbows on the table. Peering across the crowded room, she wondered about the chances of encountering Seto Kaiba. She was slightly eager to see his reaction to her.

"Excuse me, Ma'am, but might I ask you for a dance?"

Glancing to her left, she saw a hand held out to her. Slowly, her eyes worked their way up a broad chest to find a pair of ice blue eyes. She rose to her feet while biting on her bottom lip as she found the debonair smile of Lionel Kensington. Her face was a slight shade of red while she slipped her hand into his.

"I'm Gwen," she whispered while he tugged her over to the open floor where few couples were swaying together.

"You can call me Lionel."

He spun her around once before sweeping her close to himself. An arm around her waist and fingers entwined with one of her hands, she found her chest pressed against his, their breathing in tandem. The room felt like it was drifting away from her with each turn and step of her feet. She stumbled at one point as the music changed tempos and she found herself struggling to follow his lead. Dancing was certainly not her forte.

"How old are you, Miss O'Malley?"

She gasped as she was spun around then forced into a tighter embrace, "Eighteen."

His smile became a calculating smirk, "Seems a bit young for the position you've entered."

"I'm more than capable of running my father's company." She narrowed her eyes on him, feeling his fingertips dig into her spine, "From what I hear, you've done a poor job with your company."

"I'm sure Seto Kaiba has been spreading those lies about me." The music came to a slow end, but they were still spinning around the room until a new song began playing. It was a dark, sultry tune, and she could feel the tension of Lionel's hungry eyes, "I hear he's after your company, Miss O'Malley."

"I don't care what he's after." She tried to wiggle her way out of his arms, but he held her in a suffocating chokehold, "You're hurting me, Mister Kensington."

"You must have tender skin." The dance floor was suddenly crowded, and Gwen was frantically looking for Niall, "I wonder how fragile you really are? I'd love to test your pain tolerance, Miss O'Malley." His face was dangerously close to hers, "Trust me when I say you will be devoured in this world."

"That'll be enough, Lionel."

Gwen was yanked from Lionel's grasps, stumbling against Seto Kaiba. She felt so small next to him, fragile as she huddled close to his chest. She thought she was imagining things when one of his arms wrapped around her shoulders.

"Protecting your investment, Kaiba?" Lionel's playful stare was laced with daggers, "So, you screw her first then take her company? Is that how things work now?"

Seto's eyes narrowed, "What right do you have to mock me? You're nothing, Lionel. You have always been nothing." He glanced down at Gwen, who was biting her bottom lip, "Don't think I'll let you prey on O'Malley's daughter. Have some respect for the dead."

Lionel shoved past them, leaving the dance floor in a rush that made several people turn their heads.

Seto found himself staring at Gwen as she still huddled against him. He gave her a little squeeze to see if she moved, which resulted in her shoving him backward while her face beamed as red as her dress. Wine red? That was a decent color for her. Personally, he wanted to see her in blue. He straightened out the wrinkles of his jacket as she tangled her fingers in the ringlet curls of her hair.

"Do you expect me to thank you?" she snapped.

"Actually, I expect you to apologize for drenching me with wine the other night." He smirked, "That was a rather bullshit response-"

"You can't assume that just because you're a multi-billionaire everyone is your servant." She began walking off, feeling all the more confident in her four and a half inch heels. She grabbed a glass of white wine from a table, greeting the couple standing there. But her conversation was cut short as Seto took hold of her arm and dragged her off. She wrestled from his grip, nearly spilling her wine in the process, "Who do you think you are?"

He grinned, "Seto Kaiba, though I'm sure we haven't been formally introduced."

She ran her tongue across her top lip, which he seemed less than interested in, "Gweneth O'Malley, CEO of O'Malley Financial Corporation."

"Do you even know what your father's company is about?"

"It's _my_ company now, Asshole." She cleared her throat while he laughed, "We are responsible for funds for other corporations' activities, which requires us to invest in management to assure that portfolio performance is achieved."

"Congrats, you've memorized a definition." He took her glass of wine from her, "But that doesn't mean you know anything about your business." He gently sipped on the sweet liquor, "Just because you look the part and drink expensive alcohol doesn't mean you know anything about being a CEO. You're raw, which isn't a bad thing, if you know how to utilize it."

"I'm more than capable of controlling my company." She snatched her glass back, angry that it was half drank already, "From what I hear, you're after my empire."

Seto threw his head back in a fit of scornful laughter, "Who told you that? Lionel?" He was so amused by her fuming eyes, "If I had any intention of doing so, I wouldn't be telling anyone about it. It would be my little secret and the only way you would find out is when I take over your company."

"I'm surprised you're not using the 'seduction' tactic like everyone else." She glanced across the room in search of Niall, "Why don't you just try to _seduce_ me like Lionel?"

He was slightly amused by the sarcasm in her voice, "I'm not petty enough to stoop that low. Business and pleasure don't belong in the same world."

"Yet they remain such closely associated topics."

Seto lifted a brow, watching her gently sip on her white wine, her eyes in a frantic search of someone. Most likely her bodyguard…When she finally looked back at him, he wondered what Ronan was thinking upon naming her his heir. Was there something hidden in her inexperienced behavior that would make for a strong CEO? All he saw was a young woman who wanted something different for her life. So, what was her real dream?

Find what makes her tick…Ronan's company would be better in his own hands. He could build an even stronger empire in America that would trump Industrial Illusions. Maybe, though it was a stretch, he could convince the little O'Malley Cat to sign her company over to him? To truly rule the world…He could snatch Lionel's company over in England then Siegfried would be next in Germany. It sounded so beautiful! Then that damnable Samantha Crawford would be crushed-!

"Would you care to dance, Miss O'Malley?"

She wasn't sure where those words came from, but they sent a shiver down her spine, "You dance?"

"It's a requirement."

She gratefully took his hand, though it felt awkward. She wasn't sure how long it took to find herself pulled onto the dance floor, but his arm around her waist made it worth the entire trek. Lulled by the sultry, Spanish tune from a guitar, she interwove her fingers with his as he drew her against his chest, enough for her to feel the beats of his heart, though far enough to make her want to close the rest of the distance. She was sure her face was a deep scarlet while he looked completely unfazed.

_Everything you are, everything you'll be touches the current of love s__o dee__p in me._

It was easy to follow his lead, and maybe that was because she was so lost in those blue eyes. She almost wanted him to be as devious with his passions as Lionel intended, but she could hardly imagine him losing his composure. He was the envy of every man in the room, and not just because he had been a child prodigy. He owned the world. Spinning out of his arms, she caught a glimpse of the leering eyes of the other young women in the room.

Chest brushing against his, she felt the burn of their stares on her neck. She was their envy at the moment. It bemused her that dancing with Seto Kaiba was enough to spur the jealousy of the rich daughters of these CEOs. Part of her wanted to use it to her advantage in any way possible, but she resorted to trying to enjoy her dance in the arms of the most dangerous man in the entire room. _Every sigh in the night, __every tear that you cry__-_

The song slowed, her feet stopping as his fingers swept along her spine. _Seduces me…_ She stepped away from him and he gave her a nod of the head, hair falling over his eyes to hide the deceptive glint in them. Turning on her heel, she made to leave him there, but he was still at her side, a thoughtful look on his face while they passed by several leering eyes. She wandered over to the small bar that was set up, ordering a whiskey to find that he had ordered the same thing.

"You prefer hard liquor?" he asked.

She grinned, musing on the sip she took from the glass, "I prefer beer, but apparently that's too cheap to serve here." She laughed a little, "My father drank whiskey. Pure pot whiskey, to be exact. He told me that was my grandfather's business over in Ireland."

Seto leaned on the bar counter, swishing the contents of his glass around, "I can recall the few drinks I had with your father. The man always had whiskey. Didn't matter the occasion."

"You knew my father?"

Seto shrugged, "A lot of people know people in this business." He took a long sip of his whiskey, "I was fortunate enough to have had a few conversations with the man."

"It's funny to think…" She turned her eyes to the left, her chest rising and falling with each breath she took, "…that I hardly knew him. For all the time we were together, I was always just that beauty pageant girl. My mother knew he hated that-" She paused, glancing back at Seto while blushing, "I'm sorry. That's too personal- You probably don't care."

"At least you figured out that much about me." Her eyes narrowed on him while he ordered a second drink, "Your life's story is not in my interest. My interest…" He leaned closer to her, "…is what you plan to do with your company."

She ran her fingertips along the rim of her glass, "I'm sure that's not your concern, Mister Kaiba."

"It becomes my concern when you threaten my reign."

"I'm honored that you consider me as competition," she sneered.

"Don't flatter yourself." He gave a small laugh, "The only reason you're a possible threat is because of the work your father put into his company. I have a hunch that you won't be able to match his accomplishments."

"Then you're underestimating me." She flipped her hair over her shoulder, "I'll accomplish every dream my father had and I'll make it my prerogative to destroy you."

"Get in line."

She wanted to throw her refilled whiskey at him, but she chose to bring it to her lips and take it down with a tilt of her head. Nodding to Seto, she walked off in search of Niall, who she had completely forgotten about in the instance that she was dancing. She found that her feet were hurting, blisters most likely forming on her heels as she trudged around the ballroom. Her arm was suddenly grabbed and her guardian came walking alongside her.

"Ready to leave, Little Miss?"

She smiled while linking her arm with his, "I think that sounds like a reasonable idea."

"Did you enjoy Sir Kaiba's company?"

"He's after my company." She laughed at the double meaning of the word.

"Then you should probably keep your distance."

Gwen nodded while he escorted her outside where her limo was pulled up. She gave him a smile as he opened the door for her, watching her slip inside with grace unlike the previous night. The drive back to their hotel was silent, mainly because her head had lolled onto his shoulder and she had fallen asleep. He gently kissed her forehead while asking for the driver to turn the volume of the radio down.

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><p><strong>you've gotta love Samantha. She's a bit honest...lol<strong>

**so how was that for an evening! a dance with Seto Kaiba alongside the song Seduces Me! after he saved her from Lionel. maybe he's not a total asshole. (yeah right) and you all got a tad of an insight on Gwen's personal life. (even Seto can admit that she looks good in a bikini. haha)**

**please leave a review!**

**-TSA**


	5. Chapter 5

**originally, this chapter was much longer. but i decided to split it in half and make the second part the sixth chapter. **

**hope you're all still enjoying this story! **

**Disclaimer: don't own YGO nor do I own Chemicals Reactby Aly and AJ. Again, i recommend looking this song up as well. :)**

**-TSA**

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><p>Chapter 5:<p>

"What else can you tell me about Seto Kaiba?"

It was out to lunch for her after an invitation from Gunter Thompson, who was more than eager to help her adjust to this place. She'd gotten the call earlier this morning, which gave her plenty time to clean up and look presentable. She was wearing a khaki pencil skirt with a pink blouse and a pair of pointed toed Jimmy Choo's. Her hair was done up in a loose ponytail that left strands hanging around her cheeks. Her makeup was limited to a little eye shadow, mascara, and lip gloss.

"What interest do you have in him?" Gunter was trying to hide his leering eye, which made her blush, "A romantic endeavor I presume?"

"Not in the least bit, Sir." She sipped on her glass of raspberry lemonade, "I just want to know what makes him such an asshole."

Gunter couldn't help himself from a bellowing laugh, "You don't have much of a cap on what you say or do!"

"It comes with being an American."

"So, you want to understand Seto Kaiba?" Gunter's mustache bounced with his lips, "The only way you can do that is by spending time with the boy."

"I don't think he's the dating type…"

"I could arrange something if you want me to?"

Gwen shook her head, "I don't think that's necessary. I think we both know that he wouldn't appreciate that."

"That boy needs something! Even if it is just a smile from a pretty woman."

Gwen rested her elbows on the table and set her chin in her hands while sipping out of the straw from her lemonade, "I really don't think I'm his type…"

. . . .

"She's not my type."

Seto paced around his office, drinking his lukewarm coffee that he, again, brewed at five in the morning. Now, it was one o'clock in the afternoon and he was surprised that it still tasted fresh. He was walking around in circles, ever so often passing by the blonde who was sitting on the couch. His tie was loose around his neck, his shirt partially unbuttoned around the collar and un-tucked from his black slacks, and his shoes were somewhere in his office.

"How would you know? Your idea of a conversation usually results in you threatening someone for their company."

Seto glared at Samantha Crawford who was snapping her bubblegum between her teeth, "She was a Beauty Queen; I don't think that's impressive."

"So, she looks good in a bikini. What's wrong with that?"

He didn't find her comment amusing, "I'm not interested in how she looks. As far as I can tell, she's just a dumb girl who got left with a company."

Samantha threw her legs over the arm of the couch, grabbing a pillow to rest her head under, "What's the difference between her and me?"

"You've been trained." He grimaced at admitting that, "She just came upon her father's position because he died. It wasn't like she ever had any interest in running his company."

"How do you know that? It's not like you've ever asked her about it."

Seto discarded his tie, falling into the chair at his desk. He opened up his laptop to find six new emails, all claiming to be urgent, though he knew that was bullshit. Skimming through Gwen's profile again, he tried to convince himself that she was anything worth a damn, but that was proving to be a waste of his time. He slouched back in his chair until Samantha's face leaned next to his as she tried to get a better look at the pictures that popped up on his computer.

"How can that size eight body fit in that damn dress…" Samantha growled, staring at the evening gown photo.

"Probably because she's not a size eight." Seto pulled up the tiny profile written next to it, "She's a size six, Smartass."

"Still a bit big for a Beauty Pageant chick." Samantha set her hands on her hips, "We'd never be able to share clothes."

Seto rolled his eyes, "Why does that matter?"

"I'm just saying that I'm a size two and I don't even qualify as Miss Domino." She shrugged, "Guess Americans do things a little differently."

"Your company is run in America."

"It's on an island. I don't exactly interact with people on the mainland. This place is more of a home."

Seto shook his head, reading the rest of her profile from the pageant. Capricorn who loves action packed movies, long walks on the beach and warm bubble baths…What the fuck did that have to do with being a beauty queen? He continued reading the rest of the drawling that talked of all her charity events. Contrary to anyone's belief, he did not find it sweet that she worked with orphanages often. It didn't make him like her-

"You seriously don't like anything about her?" Samantha asked.

"Yes…"

"Come on! At a minimum, admit that she's cute!"

"I don't care what she looks like!" Seto stood up from his seat, stomping over to the couch, "I think it's time you left."

Samantha gathered up her jacket and briefcase, "You do know that Lionel is after her, right? And honestly, Siegfried will do the same when I turn him down again."

He narrowed his eyes, "What are you saying exactly?"

"That those two imbeciles will try to court her to get her company." He was still glaring at her, "I told you already that business and pleasure go hand in hand."

"You mean to tell me that they'll try to marry her to get control of her company?" Samantha nodded her head while he let out a laugh of disbelief, "She's eighteen!"

"But she's vulnerable. She's just lost her father and she needs a male figure in her life." She shrugged while opening the door to his office, "They marry her and your empire will suddenly seem small. I'm sure Lionel or Siegfried will offer me a deal so as to get on top of the dueling world and then you're officially fucked." She turned on her heel and made to leave, "I would certainly accept a deal if it means expanding Industrial Illusions."

Seto fell down on the couch, wanting to shout thousands of curse words, though he didn't want to draw attention to himself. He covered his face with a pillow while mulling over his options. The last thing he wanted was Lionel or Siegfried getting ahead of him. But a marriage? How juvenile an idea! This wasn't medieval Europe where marriage gave you power…But in the right hands it could…He growled into the pillow before throwing it across the room. Of course, that little plan would work. She was dumb enough to marry someone.

. . . .

Gwen strode down the road, purse clutched tightly under her arm while she made her way back to the hotel. It was a pleasure having lunch with Gunter as he had helped her better understand what she was facing as a new CEO. Her list of people to avoid was growing larger, though Gunter thought she needed to be better acquainted with Seto, since he was the "king" despite his age. But she doubted he'd guide her on how to run her company.

Staring up at his skyscraper building, she swore she could see him at the top level in his office, pacing around as if he had something on his mind. Oh, to know what made that genius mind tick. It wasn't like she'd ever know at the rate she was going with their "relationship". She sighed while strolling on down the sidewalk to her hotel, where she was sure Niall was waiting for her, agitated that he was left behind. At least, she still had him to go home to.

Inside the main level of the hotel, she heard someone at the front desk call for her. To her surprise, there was a letter that had been dropped off not too long ago. Taking it without opening it, Gwen made her way to the tenth level where her room was. She rummaged through her purse to grab her key, which she fumbled with in the process of opening the door. As she meandered inside, she heard the sound of singing, which she assumed to be from the shower.

She suppressed a giggle while listening to Niall's smooth, tenor voice that sung the tune of an Irish lullaby. Leaning against the door to the bathroom, she closed her eyes to better focus on the sound that emanated off the tile walls. Such a beautiful sound, so full and tender like a kiss to her forehead…She started whispering the words until she heard the shower turn off. But the door she was leaning against was already opened before she could move away from it.

Falling backward, she made a grab for the shelf holding up the towels, but all she managed to hang onto were Niall's broad shoulders. Her face rested against his toned chest, still dripping with water, while his hands grabbed hold of her waist. She refused to look up at him as he began to laugh.

"I see that you've returned, Little Miss." He smiled while she kept her face buried against his torso, "Did you enjoy my song?"

"Niall, I didn't mean to- Well, you know. I just heard you and-" She sighed, figuring it was pointless to keep blubbering, "Yes, I enjoyed it."

"It's from home." He guided her out of the bathroom, grabbing a smaller towel to dry out his hair, "I think about going back one of these days."

"You were young when you came to America." She smiled while following him into the second bedroom, "I've never even seen Ireland." She quickly covered her eyes as he began dressing. Every once and awhile, she'd peek through her fingers to catch a glimpse of his god-like body.

"It's certainly lovely." He glanced over his shoulder while holding a charcoal colored turtleneck in his hands, "Should your mother allow it, I can take you there when we get back."

_You make me feel out of my element like I'm walkin' on broken glass…_Gwen smiled while he tossed his long sleeve on, "I doubt she'd let me go there with you."

"Oh…" He nodded his head, "You make a fair point, Little Miss." _Like my worlds spinnin' in slow motion and you're movin' too fast…_

She blushed. _Were you right, was I wrong? Were you weak, was I strong? Yeah. _"Niall, it's not like that. It's just…she's protective. She didn't even want me to travel here! It's not like it's _you-_!"

Niall silenced her by pressing a finger to her lips, "It's exactly that." He gave her another nod of the head, "Don't think so much about it, Little Miss." _Both of us broken, caught in a moment-_

She sighed while he kissed her on the forehead and made his way out into the main room, leaving her to stare at the floor. She wasn't sure what that pang in her chest was all about, but she didn't like it. Collecting herself and her thoughts, she strode out into the kitchen area where he was making himself a sandwich.

"You went to the grocery store?" she asked.

He laughed, "It was difficult navigating through there. I had no idea where anything was!"

She giggled while grabbing the letter she had received downstairs at the front desk, which she had absentmindedly dropped. She was surprised to find no address on the envelope, though that didn't stop her from opening it. Skimming through its contents that were typed again, she found herself with a smile. Samantha had written her and asked her to join her for dinner tonight. That sounded like a wonderful idea! Reading the name of the restaurant, she began to think about what dress she wanted to wear.

"Samantha has invited me to dinner tonight." Gwen sat down at the kitchen table, across from Niall, "You alright with being left here?"

"I don't see why not." He took a bite out of his sandwich, swallowing before speaking, "I'm old enough to take care of myself, aren't I?"

She narrowed her eyes on him while he began to laugh, "You're so used to taking care of me, I can't be sure that you can take care of yourself."

"I'll be fine, Little Miss."

* * *

><p><strong>poor Niall. :( <strong>

**hmm...so what would Samantha have been doing in Seto's office? they aren't exactly friends...**

**well, i'll see when the next time it is that i can update. i'm going on vacation for five days, but i will try to post something.**

**hope you enjoyed! leave a review please!**

**-TSA**


	6. Chapter 6

**well now! sorry for the wait! just got back... ****thanks everyone for the reviews/faves/alerts! you rock my world!**

**here is a long chapter. figured you deserved that! off to dinner we go...**

**Disclaimer: dont own YGO or the song Sway (Dean Martin)**

**enjoy!**

**-TSA**

* * *

><p>Chapter 6:<p>

Strolling inside the restaurant (with a name she gave up on pronouncing since it was Greek…), she felt like everyone's eyes were on her. Adorned by a red, strapless chiffon dress coming to the middle of her thighs with a beaded bust line, and a wrap skirt, she found herself wondering if her color choice was drawing too much attention. Most the other people in the room wore darker tones, which (to her) made them look zombie like.

Tucking a stray strand of raven hair behind her ear, she began searching the room for any sign of Samantha, who said she had a table reserved. But nowhere in the entire building did she see a short blonde with black rimmed, rectangular glasses. As she reached for her cell phone inside her purse, a waiter strolled up beside her and tapped her shoulder. She looked up, phone in hand, while he gave her a sincere smile.

"Are you Miss O'Malley?"

Gwen bit her glossed lip, "Yes…"

"Your table is this way."

She wasn't sure what to think as she was led around the main floor to a table in the corner (for two, which she took quick note of) where the music was soft enough for soft words to be spoken in the instance that she were ever with a lover. There was a gentle candlelight, a beautiful glow reflecting off the waiter's face. Part of her wished she was having dinner with him…Slipping into a seat, she set her cell phone on the table while staring at the glass of red wine that was already filled.

She carefully picked it up, swishing it around before taking a quick sip. She licked her lips, savoring the sweet taste of it, despite that she wished she had whiskey. She surveyed the room, watching as couples stood up from their tables and made their way to the small dance floor, closer to the band that crooned love songs. Losing herself in their tight embraces, she hardly noticed the man who strode up beside her. When a hand rested against her shoulder, she jolted at the cold feel of his fingertips.

Jumping to her feet, she bit her lip to avoid a gasp as her eyes met Seto Kaiba's.

"Miss O'Malley…"

"What are you doing here?"

He gave her a nod of the head while sitting down across from her, calling a waiter over to pour him a glass of white wine. He raised it in a toast to her, that sexy smirk of his breaking across that handsome face. She stubbornly sat back down, not wanting to make a scene.

"I figured you wouldn't accept an invitation from me, so I signed it with Samantha's name. Funny…she tends to like to type her letters…"

"I have half a nerve to leave," Gwen spat.

"Do as you wish." He shrugged while sipping on his glass, "But it would look bad on your part if you just up and left." He gestured to the people in the room, "Almost everyone here has been at our 'convention' events."

She gave him a fake smile, "Ever the charmer, Mister Kaiba."

"You've severely underestimated me-" He glanced at her phone, irritated by its sudden vibration, "Planning on answering that?"

She picked it up and put it in her purse, "That would be rude, wouldn't it? Though I'm sure you wanted a reason to scold me…"

"It crossed my mind." He gave a nod of the head to someone across the room, "You have a lot to learn about this business."

"I didn't think I needed to take a 'corporate etiquette' class," she groaned.

"There are many requirements in this world."

She licked her lips, musing on the first thing he told her was a requirement. Hearing the song melt into "Sway" originated by Dean Martin, she gave him a batted eyed glance that made his smirk come to life. _I can hear the sounds of violins long before it begins. _When he offered his hand to her, she cautiously gave him hers and found herself being pulled out of her seat. Her feet felt heavy while he led her across the wooden floor, arm around her waist while his hand held hers. Those damnable blue eyes met hers and she cursed herself for not leaving when she had the chance.

Swaying, much to the song's demand, she found her body begging him to hold her tighter. Her knees felt weak in her heels, but she didn't want him to see that weakness in her eyes. _Make me thrill as only you know how._ They were bending to every note, entangled in a dance to discover who would break first. Her body was already his, and she wondered if he knew that? Could he tell that she had given up? _Sway me smooth, sway me now._

Spinning out of his arms then being twirled back into his embrace, she felt her feet stutter to find their rhythm again, and she swore he laughed. He could be so beautiful when he laughed, despite that the sound was dark and sinister. She was thrown into a dip, the remaining notes of the song hanging in the air while he drew her thigh up against his waist. Eyes wide, she was deaf to her heartbeats. All that mattered in the entire world was being that close and personal.

_You know how- Sway me smooth, sway me now._

The song was slow to end, though she was grateful since she wanted to escape her embarrassment for fumbling. She tumbled into her seat, making a grab from her wine, but he took it away from her. Narrowing her eyes on him, he began to laugh.

"Isn't that too sophisticated a drink for you?"

"Don't you have something better to do than make snide comments towards me?"

"Being at the top of the corporate world gives me time to invest in other hobbies."

"You call this a hobby?"

He chuckled, "Don't be offended."

"I'm flattered," she drawled with a roll of her eyes.

She went to grab for her glass of wine, but he smacked her hand away. She growled while watching him call a waiter over to hand him the alcohol and whisper to him about getting her a different drink. Not knowing what he asked him to bring over; she rested her elbows on the table and set her chin in her hands while he remained smirking.

"You have a long way to go if you expect to be drinking expensive wine," he mused.

She wrinkled her nose, "You remind me of the president of business strategy in my company…"

"And how's that?"

"He's always nagging at me."

"Someone has to do it."

"Well, he's gay so I figure that has something to do with it." She smiled when Seto glared at her, "Don't take that offensively, Mister Kaiba."

"I'm less than amused, Miss O'Malley."

"I'm less than surprised."

She giggled while the waiter came back, setting a glass of water in front of her. That smile soon left and she was back to glowering at him. She hated how quickly she'd go from "offense" to "defense". He was so good at recoiling from an insult that she was finding it increasingly more difficult to keep up. Shaking her head while deciding to chug her water in hopes that she could trade an empty glass for whiskey, she watched him with a seething glare that only fueled his competitive edge.

"Had enough?" he snickered.

"You really know how to show a girl a good time…" she retorted.

"You're just ungrateful."

"I'm a CEO. I'm entitled to being high maintenance."

"You're not a CEO."

"I'm pretty sure I am."

He shook his head, giving her a dismissive gesture, "You're not a CEO until you've made your claim in this world. You can own a company all you want, but that doesn't mean you have any knowledge of your business."

Gwen slammed her hand on the table and jumped up from her seat "What is your problem with me?"

He remained calm while staring into her fuming eyes, "I couldn't possibly know what you're talking about."

"Why are you always insulting me?"

He glanced around the restaurant, noticing that her shouting had gained them the attention of everyone within earshot, "Will you sit down? You're making a scene." Gwen grudgingly returned to her seat, her face beaming a deep shade of red when she finally noticed that people were staring at her. Seto cleared his throat, "Now that you're done making a fool out of yourself…You're wondering why I don't think you're worth anything." He caught her stare, holding her prisoner with his icy glare, "When I look at you, I see a company that was wasted on a beauty pageant bitch. You think you're something special? You're just an American Girl who's trying to make an adventure out of this. Contrary to your belief, Sweetheart, this isn't a little story book."

She clenched her jaw tightly, not knowing how to even say anything to him. American Girl? Story book? Who did he think he was-? Oh…he's Seto Kaiba, King of the Corporate World. It took all of her might to restrain herself from punching him as any respectable American woman would have, especially one with Irish blood in her veins. She finally bowed her head and set her hands in her lap, not knowing what else to do than to look pitiful.

"I see your point…" she mumbled.

Boy, did that taste like vinegar.

"No, you don't." He held a hand up to stop her from interrupting him with another shout, "You can see my point all you want, but that doesn't mean you comprehend what I'm telling you. It takes more than a couple minutes and looking like a kicked dog to grasp what I'm telling you."

"What the fuck do you want me to do?" She covered her mouth, color streaming into her cheeks as she noticed that, once more, all eyes were on her. She wrinkled her nose, "Can you all mind your own damn business?"

Seto smacked himself on the forehead, "That's rather difficult when you're being so obnoxiously _loud_."

She was fuming now, roused up and ready for a fight, "Will you just shut the fuck up?"

"Refrain from using such profound language. You're in a restaurant." He sighed heavily while calling a waiter over, "I advise you to sit down and end your tirade of making yourself look like an idiot. The owner of this place won't appreciate your outbursts and will most likely ask you to leave soon if you keep this up."

Gwen went to fire back an insult when a thought hit her. She composed herself and gave him another batted eyed glance. Beckoning him to lean a little closer, she stretched across the table to whisper to him, "What do you say we get out of here anyway?"

"I don't see a reason for that."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm not a fan of expensive restaurants."

He sipped on his glass of wine, watching her with curiosity, "I'm assuming you don't like Greek?"

"I've never been a fan of Mediterranean foods." She gave that comment a thought, "Though Italian is good…"

He swished his wine around, watching it climb along the sides, almost spilling over when he saw her take out a compact mirror from her purse to apply more gloss to her pink lips. He felt his throat run dry, though he couldn't understand why he was so fixated by the gesture. Why hadn't there waiter come yet? That plump bottom lip sticking out, waiting to be claimed by hungry lips that ached for the heat of passion- Wait, why would he even think about that?

"You want to leave or not?" she asked.

He shrugged, knowing he'd curse himself a thousand times over if he didn't go with her, "Fine…"

She didn't care if he liked it or not. If she could get him out of his comfort zone then it'd be easier to break him. Rushing out of the restaurant, she decided against calling her driver to pick her up and strode down the street, heels clicking to the beat in her head. With a glance over her shoulder, she saw Seto with his hands in his pockets, wandering down the road while watching the cars that rolled by. She kind of liked seeing him tensed up and out of his element.

What she liked best though was the way his jacket wrinkled with the shrug of his shoulders, the buttons of his collared shirt (that was black) folding together to stress on where it was tucked into his black slacks. He looked uncomfortable, to say the least, but she was enjoying every minute of it. Maybe it was because he kept glaring at her, though it wasn't the look of utter loathing. It was more…distrust.

"Planning on lagging behind the entire time?" she chimed.

He strode up beside her as she stopped to wait to cross the street, "What do you want anyway?"

"Not sure I know what you mean."

"What are you expecting out of this little escapade of yours?"

She shrugged, gesturing for him to follow her as she scurried across the road before the light turned green. Once she found her way over to the pier, which was a good fifteen minute walk, she glanced over her shoulder to see if Seto was still with her. It was nice to be away from everyone's watchful eye, though it only seemed to make him more nervous. It was weird, but she was beginning to think that he was only good with keeping his icy façade intact around his fellow businessmen.

"Hope I'm not imposing on you too much, Mister Kaiba."

He rolled his eyes, striding past her and down the steps of the dock to where the sandy shore stood against the rolling ocean waves. She followed after him, kicking her shoes off before venturing onto the beach. Waiting a moment, she watched him stare out across the water that glistened under the moonlight. She wished more than anything to know what was going through his mind, but she figured he wouldn't be keen on sharing that with her.

"I have a proposal for you, Miss O'Malley."

She couldn't help a laugh, "I didn't realize you were interested in marrying me!"

He glowered at her, which made her choke on her giggling; "Don't flatter yourself." He straightened out his jacket-something she figured was a defense mechanism to retain his composure, "I'll teach you how to handle yourself in the corporate world."

Her brow furrowed- Was he for real? She stared at him for what felt like an hour, but he never gave her an indication that he was joking. Titling her head to the side, she crossed her arms over her chest, "What's your angle?"

"No angle." He showed her his palms, "I'd rather not see you destroy your father's company. I'd especially not want to see you fall into Lionel or Siegfried's hands."

"I can handle myself-"

"Miss O'Malley, abandon your stubborn streak. You can either accept my gesture or not. I don't need your speech on how you can deal with this on your own."

She walked closer to him, staring up into those blue eyes that she longed to see hold a gentle gleam. But that was a farfetched idea, "You want my company, don't you?"

"Do you think I'd be offering my assistance if I wanted your company?"

"You told me that if you wanted it, then I'd only know once you took over." She hugged herself, "I'm not sure I believe you."

Seto pursed his lips, tapping his foot impatiently. Damn, she wasn't exactly the trustworthy type. Sure, he had every intention of taking over her company, but he wasn't going to do that without using her to establish it in the manner that would benefit him. Maybe if he just told her the truth, then she'd stop being such a brat?

He threw his arms in the air, "Alright, you win."

She lifted a brow, "Huh?"

"It's true. I have considered trying to drive you out." He shrugged, "But should you let me help you, then you can keep me from doing so."

"And how do you figure that?"

"If you can last the rigorous courses I put you through, then you'll be more than capable of keeping me and other CEOs from threatening you."

"But wouldn't that defeat the purpose of you trying to steal my company?"

He sighed with irritation, "What I'm telling you is- If you learn to handle your company, then I'll be just as content with working with you, not against you. Should you keep up your bullshit, then I'll gladly drive you out."

Damn all these "ifs" again! Why couldn't everything just have one option? He was growing agitated with her insistence on twisting everything into a question and not just agreeing to what he was offering her. Maybe she was smarter than he gave her credit for…? That would be shocking.

"So, you'll help me?" she asked.

He clenched his hands into fists, "Yes."

"Then I guess I've got no other options." She bit her lip, wishing she could pry more out of him, "When do we start?"

"Tomorrow, if you don't have any obligations."

"Tomorrow it is…" She dug her toes into the sand, "What exactly do you plan on teaching me?"

His smirk was back, "Everything."

She rolled her eyes, not bothering to press him further about it. She swung her shoes in her hand while wandering down along the shore, watching the black waves roll onto the sand before vanishing back into the vast ocean. When she glanced over her shoulder, she saw that Seto was gone, or he just wasn't in her sight. Shrugging despite wishing he was with her, she kept walking in hopes to find something of interest.

. . . .

He had kept his distance, wanting her to wander off so he could shout a few times and try to understand what the fuck he had just agreed to do. Damn that Samantha Crawford- She was too cunning for her own good. Digging his cell phone from his pocket, he dialed her number, figuring he could just yell at her instead of the water. He waited as patiently as he possibly could, though his temper was already off the charts. When the phone finally connected, he began his tirade.

"Damn you for tricking me into this! You're just fucking with me, aren't you? I'll let you know that when I'm done with this bullshit, I'm going to kill you! I'm not getting enough for this!"

He paused, listening to the silence, assuming that he had just ranted to her message machine. When he went to hang up, he heard her sigh heavily.

"You done yet?"

He clenched his jaw, "You owe me more than just a deal…"

He heard her yawn, which made him want to jump through the phone and kill her, "Well, I told you I'd back off on buying out Lionel. What more could you possibly want? I've also agreed to let you _attempt_ to steal Gwen's company."

"But you're after hers as well…" Seto began pacing around, "I need a guarantee that you'll back off."

"The difference between you and me is that I'd offer her a partnership. You just want to run her out."

He bit at the insides of his mouth, mulling over how she had seemly found the edge in their battle, "You're too soft-"

"I'm smart, Mister Kaiba. The least you can do is accept that."

"You're just always in the way. I don't consider that 'smart'."

"You just don't like that I'm as good at _your_ game as _you_ are!" Her laughter made him cringe, "I'm going to continue getting in your way. If you expect me to go away, I suggest you abide by my rules."

"Your rules don't apply to my game."

"_When_ are you going to realize that this isn't just _your_ game anymore?" He threw his hands up in the air, breathing deeply in an attempt to calm himself. When he finally went to speak, he was beat to it by Samantha, who must have known that he put his cell phone to his ear, "I hate to end our lovely conversation, but I have things to do. Please don't take it personally- I actually enjoy our calls! Have a good night!"

She hung up before he could get an angry outburst through. Throwing his phone into the sand, he pondered his options. He could back out of this thing with Gwen and resume his normal plan. But now that Samantha knew everything he was doing, he couldn't exactly keep it a secret unless he made sure it didn't reach her ears, which meant he had to keep her under close watch. Oh, that would be thrilling.

. . . .

She was on her way back to the dock, figuring she had gone far enough. Niall had probably called her six or seven times, but she had yet to check her phone. When she saw the lights of the buildings above her, she swore she saw Seto still standing by the water. Inching closer to him, though she had a hunch he wanted to be left alone, she watched as he sat down, knees tucked to his chest. Her heart stopped for a moment while she pondered why now, of all times, he looked human?

Discarding her shoes on the sand, she leisurely sat down beside him, looking for his expression in the darkness, but he had his face turned away from her. When she reached out to him, her wrist was seized and in the faint glow of the moon, she saw that it wasn't Seto.

"You're the last thing I expected to see down here!" She broke her wrist from his grip and scrambled to her feet, but he was quick to pull her back down to the sand. She landed with a "thud", cushioned by the shore, and found herself face to face with a pair of bright eyes, "Man, and here I thought I would be able to tell the guys I saw a mermaid…" He winked at her, but she raised her hand to slap him. Her wrist was in his hand again, but he was still smiling, "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you."

"Who are you?" she demanded.

He shrugged, "To be honest, I'm not much of anybody."

"I want your name."

He held his arms up as a sign of peace, "I'm not a bad guy-!"

"I want your name _now_."

"I thought women liked the idea of a mystery?" He was smiling again, "I'm Varon."

"Lovely. I'll just call the police and have them come arrest you-"

"Hey! Wait a second!" He fumbled after Gwen as she stood up, shoes in hand, and stormed off toward the dock. He managed to slip in front of her and block her path, "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Your insistence on keeping me here has become annoying. I am in need of getting back to my hotel and you are refusing to let me do so," she growled.

Varon bowed his head, stepping aside, "I'm sorry. I was just-Well, you're rather, as I'm sure you know, attractive. I just figured- Not to be creepy or anything-" He decided against finishing his rambling when Gwen began to giggle, "You see what I mean?"

"Is that supposed to make me stay?" she asked, though a smile was sneaking its way across her lips.

"Can it at least get me your name?" he pleaded.

"It's Gwen."

Why she decided to tell him was beyond her, though she was beginning to think it was because she wanted the opportunity to meet him again. She was in Japan after all, and a little fun wasn't a bad idea. Giving him a nod of the head, she began walking up the steps to the dock, but Varon was quick to meet her at the top.

"What do you say to meeting me here tomorrow?" he asked.

She shook her head, "I'm busy."

"Then perhaps another time?"

"I'm really not interested." She gave him a curt nod of the head, "Goodbye."

Varon waited for her to get far enough down the street before he gave a small signal to his "companions" that were hiding in the alleyway. He crossed his arms over his chest while staring at her faint silhouette as it disappeared in the dark streets where the lamplight wasn't enough to reveal all of those that walked at the hours of the night. Glancing over his shoulder, he gave them a shrug.

"I tried."

"That was pretty fucking pathetic if you ask me…"

"And you could do better, Amelda?" Varon bellowed with laughter, "You're the one who looks like a fruit!"

"Give me a shot and I promise I'll have her wrapped around my finger."

Varon shot him a glare, "It doesn't matter if you can manipulate her, Amelda. She's not supposed to be _yours_ in the end."

"I'm not looking for anything like that. But one of us needs to gain her trust."

"How are we even sure that this stupid plan will work anyway?"

Amelda shrugged, "My purpose is to get back at Seto Kaiba. Whatever _he_ has in store for that girl is beyond me."

"Fine." Varon didn't want to voice that he was annoyed with all the secrecy, "You can try next time and if you fail, it goes back to me."

Amelda rolled his eyes, "You're so concerned about not being the most physically appealing one. Just because you portray yourself as a 'bad boy', doesn't mean you're attractive to every woman."

"Well, I figure I have a better chance than a guy who looks like a fruit," he growled back.

Amelda decided against arguing with him any further, knowing it would get them nowhere. He flipped the collar of his jacket up while jamming his hands in his pockets, following Varon and Raphael down the road. He was getting fidgety with being so close to the revenge he longed for. But _he_ had different ideas before he could avenge his little brother. Grumbling to himself, he tried to focus on how he was going to "win fair maiden's heart". That didn't exactly sound appealing at the moment…

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><p><strong>woah! lots of stuff going on here. let's recap a bit!<strong>

**Seto and Samantha are both looking for some way to get a hold on Gwen's company. Seto's intending on tricking Gwen with their "lessons", but is he underestimating her intelligence? Samantha seems to be the one with the most control over these situations. :)**

**Amelda, Varon, and Raphael are in the picture now! but that was only a taste. they won't be back til chapter 9... at least, Amelda makes his appearance. take a wild guess at who will be Seto's competition for Gwen? haha**

**i hope you enjoyed this. i like the dancing stuff...i feel like that's a good little requirement that Gwen and Seto keep running into. :)**

**please leave a review! thanks.**

**-TSA**


	7. Chapter 7

**hope everyone is still with me!**

**thanks for the reviews! they are very much appreciated. :)**

**Disclaimer: don't own YGO nor the song Rain by Breaking Benjamin**

**enjoy!**

**-TSA**

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><p>Chapter 7:<p>

It was exactly noon when she strolled inside Kaiba Corp. The place smelt of bleach, or some form of cleaner. The floors were spotless, which gave the building the look of having never been touched. She checked the bottom of her suede flats to see if she was dragging in any black streaks, but nothing showed on the floors. Tugging at the skirt of her white Ralph Lauren polo dress, she straightened out every wrinkle she found before walking over to the elevator.

Before she could press the "up" button, the doors opened and a young boy who couldn't have been any taller than four feet wandered out, face bent over a handheld game system. She blushed when he looked up at her, beady eyes taking in her slightly startled expression. There was a small color in his cheeks while he gave her a shy smile.

"You here for my brother?" he asked.

She shrugged, "Depends…Is he busy?"

"Not that I know of." He turned his handheld off and jammed it into his pocket, "What's your name?"

"Gweneth O'Malley."

"I'm Mokuba." He shook her hand, "My brother's getting lucky with all these women lately."

Gwen lifted a brow while Mokuba beckoned her to follow him into the elevator. As he pressed the button for the top level, she could already feel her stomach dropping, "Does your brother have many lady friends?"

"There's a woman named Samantha who's been here a couple times. His secretary is infatuated with him. I think there was one more chick, but I don't remember." Mokuba began to laugh, "And now there's you!"

She didn't want to admit that she felt a tad jealous. What was Samantha doing over here anyway? And his secretary? She chose to remain quiet while bouncing from her heels to her toes until the elevator reached the top floor. Stepping out, she surveyed the long hallway, figuring Mokuba would leave her here to find Seto's office, but he marched right past her and led her along the way.

"I have to say, though, I think you're the prettiest girl I've seen in here." Mokuba flashed a toothy smile, "Samantha's a real close second, but I like curvy girls."

Gwen was trying not to laugh, "Oh, really? You might just be my kind of man."

"I would hope so." Mokuba winked at her before stopping in front of a double door room, "I doubt my brother would mind if I get your number."

She set her hands on her hips, "I'm not that easy, Kiddo."

With a wave goodbye, she opened the doors to Seto's office, peering in at the slightest crack. She saw him seated at his desk while typing furiously on his laptop. The sound of the keys clicking was methodical and she was wondering how he hadn't fallen asleep. Slipping inside, she set her purse on the ground before stepping closer to his desk. Before she could speak, he closed his computer to stare up at her.

"You're late," he said.

Her brow furrowed, "I don't recall you telling me when to get here."

"You should always assume seven o'clock in the morning. Rule of thumb…"

"I'm sorry, but I decided to sleep in."

He rose from his seat, pacing around the room, "Lesson one- Nothing is on _your_ time unless you are the one making the rules, which you aren't."

She pursed her lips, biting back a retort. She followed him as he grabbed a book from the shelf on the far side of the room. Her eyes grew to the size of her face as he handed it to her. It had to have weighed ten pounds! Both hands heaving it into her arms, she trailed after him while he gestured for her to take a seat. Crashing onto the couch, she opened to the first page of the giant textbook.

"What exactly is this?" she muttered.

Seto was more than pleased to see the look of confusion and disgust on her face, "That would be a textbook about financing and its uses in the corporate world at all levels."

"You expect me to read all this?"

"No." He leaned over the couch, face inches from hers. He smirked at the blush that colored her cheeks, "I expect you to comprehend and apply all this."

She felt like throwing her head against the wall, "In one day?"

"I told you to always assume seven o'clock. It's not my fault that you didn't know that rule of thumb."

She scowled while he left the room, musing on his victory. Book in her lap, she flipped to the first chapter and began to read over it. This wasn't exactly going to be easy, but she figured it was going to get increasingly more difficult. She didn't even know what he was planning after she finished the book. Of course, with her start time, she probably would be there for awhile. Hope he didn't mind her sitting in his office for the rest of the day.

. . . .

He was thoroughly enjoying the power he had at the moment. That girl was going to do anything he said under the impression that she could avoid being driven out. Of course, he didn't imagine that she understood anything about what she was reading. With her financing business in his hands, he could make deals between companies a lot easier. But there was too much work that he was putting into it. Meandering back to his office, he flipped through his phone to see what the rest of his schedule was for the night. Fortunate for him, he could cancel anything if he felt like it.

Scrolling down, he was surprised to find that he had nothing to do for the rest of the night. It was about time that he returned to see where Gwen was with her reading. He was laughing while thinking of all the things she'd shout at him for putting her through this. For whatever reason (and trust that it was beyond him) he liked to see her get angry and defensive. It made him believe that with the right direction she could be as ruthless as him-

Actually, no. No one could ever be as ruthless as him.

Opening the doors, he was surprised to hear music being played. He stepped further inside while glancing around the room to find Gwen standing over by the stereo, flipping through the CDs he had set aside, which he hadn't looked at in years. The music was soft, an acoustic guitar strumming freely to a voice dark and somber. He glanced at his watch- it was already nine o'clock. Leaning against the wall, he watched as Gwen read the lyrics from the pages of the inside cover.

He stared out the window, watching the rain that fell down from the nighttime sky. It had been like that since the early evening. Suddenly, it seemed all the more alluring to watch the droplets streak down the glass, the pitter patter falling in tandem with the song. _Take a photograph, it'll be the last. Not a dollar or a crowd could ever keep me here._ When he turned to his right, he saw Gwen staring at him, CD in her slender fingered hands.

"I finished the book," she whispered.

He nodded his head, "I'm actually surprised."

"I'll be honest…" She walked a little closer to him, biting at her bottom lip that protruding slightly enough to tease him, "…I'm not sure I understand all of it."

"Just like I suspected." The space between them was limited and he could smell the flowery fragrance of her perfume. It wasn't one he recognized, though he didn't want to ask her about it, "You obviously didn't bother to find me and ask about what you don't understand. Instead, you've messed around in my office."

_I don't have a past. I just have a chance…not a family or honest plea remains to say._

She twirled her fingers in her raven hair, "It's Plumeria, by the way…"

"What?" He was fighting against the blush that he was sure crossed his face, "I don't know what you're-"

"The fragrance." She set her fingers against the golden chain necklace she wore, twisting the metal around, "It's called plumeria. My father introduced me to it on a vacation in Hawaii."

"What makes you think that I give a _fuck_ about the fragrance you're wearing?" he hissed.

She licked her lips, well aware that they were close to each other like those times that they had danced, "My mother used to wear it. I can't tell you why but it has this sort of…impact with men. My father always looked lost."

"I'm not lost. You're just delusional."

Was it that easy to tell? It wasn't like it was her, it just that scent that was making his muscles grow rigid. When he felt her fingers brush against his, he nearly collapsed. Grabbing hold of her wrist, he forced her tight to his chest, though he didn't make any other gesture. His eyes held her petrified gaze and he damn well wanted to see her succumb to every twisted desire he could come up with_. Rain, rain go away, come again another day. All the world is waiting for the sun._

"We're awfully close, Mister Kaiba."

"What do people tell you about me, Miss O'Malley?"

She felt his grip tighten on her wrist, "That you're ruthless."

"In every aspect of my life." He closed his eyes, lips ghosting over hers, taking in that sweet taste of nectar in their gloss, "I'm ruthless in business and in pleasure."

"I thought you didn't believe those two things went together?" Gwen let out a yelp as he pushed her up against the wall, both her wrists locked in his hands. She didn't bother to fight against him- It was more thrilling to be in a compromising position, and she was thoroughly enjoying that sadistic gleam in his eyes, "Never thought I'd be in this position with you."

He ran his hand down her arm then along her thigh, pulling it up along against his waist, "I believe this is familiar to you?"

"Depends…" She guided his hand until he felt the silk of her underwear beneath his fingertips, "...are you talking about familiar with you or with another guy?" She giggled, hips pushing against his as she felt him stiffen, "But _that's_ certainly a new feeling with you."

He was tempted to kiss her, but she didn't give him a moment to consider it. She shoved him backward, standing above him as he hit the floor. Smirking, he ran his hand along her leg, moving to the inside of her thigh while he sat up. As he searched for those silk panties of hers, she leisurely sat over him, thick thighs straddling him. Her fingers drummed along his chest while he pushed the skirt of her dress up around her waist. Damn, what the fuck was wrong with him?

"Aroused are we?" she mused, lips pressed to his ear.

He shivered as her breath snaked along his neck, "I don't find this amusing…"

"That's a shame…" She laughed loudly, standing up and fixing her dress, "…because I do!"

He sat on the floor for a moment while she circled around the room, taunting him with those tantalizing eyes. At the current moment, all he wanted was to know her carnally. And when he wanted something, it wasn't often that he didn't get it. Rising to his feet, he strode over to her, steps trapping her up against the wall again. Her hands braced against his chest, a glint of fear in her eyes while she tried to keep him at a distance.

His hands slammed on either side her head, the sound enough to make her shiver, "You're walking a fine line, Miss O'Malley."

"I think it's time I leave, Mister Kaiba."

Savoring the stern gaze in her eyes, a trait he would later tell her would come in handy; he stepped away from her, fumbling backward while rubbing the crease between his eyes. What had come over him? Turning his back to her, he stared out the window where the rain fell harder to the earth, a sound that nearly blocked out the music that still played in the room. When he glanced over his shoulder, he saw Gwen staring at him while holding that financing textbook in her arms.

"Seven tomorrow then, Mister Kaiba?"

He was beginning to grow curious about how it would sound if she said his name, heighted with ecstasy and begging for him to let her come down. Fuck, just the thought of that made his muscles tighten, "Try not to be late this time."

Gwen nodded her head, glancing over at the window, "Guess I'll just leave then…"

He wasn't sure what her lingering was about until he took better note that it was pouring outside. Gesturing for her to follow him, he tugged his cell phone out of his pocket and called his driver to pick her up at the front. The elevator trip downstairs was silent and awkward, and part of her wondered if he was still thinking about that tiny moment of arousal. Maybe he was just as curious as her to see what would have happened, but she wasn't going to push her luck with it.

Once on the main level, she scurried out to where the limo driver was waiting with the door opened. She clambered inside, trying to glance out the window to see where Seto stood at the doors. Book pulled tight to her chest, she dozed off to the far corners of her mind that achingly tried to guess what a kiss from him would feel like. All she could come up with was ice at first contact and fire once he claimed dominance. She was licking her lips the rest of the way back to the hotel, wishing she knew what was on his mind.

. . . .

He wasn't sure how long he had spent standing in the doorway, the rain pelting against the ground, soaking his shoes and the bottom of his slacks. That stupid song she was playing in his office was ringing in his ears. What a depressing song! How could he let it burn into his memory like that? But maybe…it wasn't that song. It was the way her eyes surrendered to him, the way she silently _dared_ him to move off that impulse rushing through him.

But he was Seto Kaiba. He didn't have time for meddling in pleasure when business was his angle. That just meant that he needed to avoid any form of confrontation that would lead to anything he would regret. He didn't expect that to be difficult, and he wasn't keen on finding out that it would be. _Is it you I want or just the notion of a heart to wrap around so I can find my way around?_

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><p><strong>well...what are everyone's thoughts? <strong>**a little bit of a sexual encounter for those two... wonder how the rest of these lessons will pan out? heehee...**

**and what does Mokuba mean by seto having luck with ladies? that doesn't sound right. haha**

**please leave a review! i highly appreciate all of you that have done so in the past chapters! :)**

**-TSA**


	8. Chapter 8

**hey. :) here's an update!**

**Disclaimer: don't own YGO and i still don't own the song Rain by Breaking Benjamin (yes, this song has returned)**

**hope you enjoyed the previous chapter and enjoy this one!**

**-TSA**

* * *

><p>Chapter 8:<p>

The second day was worse than the first. She was beginning to think that she shouldn't have complained about reading a book. Now, it was writing papers and taking exams (God only knows where he got those stupid things) to see if she was really comprehending what he was talking about. It was like finishing a college degree, four years of school, in less than a month. Macroeconomics made her want to vomit, especially when he was trying to get her to understand how it applied to the current economy around the globe inside these corporations.

Not to mention, that inside learning about the current economy, she had to memorize how each represented country or region was flourishing with their government set economy. Her hand was cramping from her pen scribbling across the paper as he continued droning on and on. Her head was screaming, her stomach growling, her eyes drooping- It was two in the afternoon and she hadn't been allowed to get something to eat! They'd been going straight since seven in the morning and she was harboring her disdain for him.

Patience gone as he chastised her for not writing fast enough, she threw her pen at him, missing him by miles while she jumped up from her seat, "I'm not an idiot!"

He stared at her, brow lifted, "I don't believe I ever said you were."

"You're treating me like one!" She threw her arms up in the air, "I need a break."

"I don't care what you _want_. I only have a few weeks to prepare you for what looks to be the rest of your life." He walked over to her, noting the way her hands rested against the table as she leaned her back against it, "You're on my watch."

She began to pout, "But I'm hungry…"

He rolled his eyes, "You're just a whiner."

"Can we at least order a pizza or something? I'm sure _you_ can afford it."

Seto gave that a thought, watching as she began biting on her bottom lip, which he was beginning to notice was almost always protruding. He wondered if she knew she was teasing him. Jamming his hands into his pockets, he sighed while deciding that he could give her a moment's break for lunch, "I'll have Mokuba order a few pizzas. Do you have a preference?"

Her smile made him blush, "Pepperoni."

He took his cell phone out and texted his brother, whom he assumed was downstairs playing videogames. As he circled around his office, he saw that Gwen was watching him, curiosity glinting in her eyes. Setting his cell phone on his desk, he leaned his back against it while crossing his arms over his chest, "Something on your mind, Miss O'Malley?"

"Not at all." She wandered around his office, pretending to examine the books on the shelf on the right side with her arms locked behind her back, "Is there something on your mind, Mister Kaiba?"

"Not at all." Anyone in the world could have been able to tell that they were trying to discuss what had happened the other night. It wasn't like they could just openly talk about it, since neither knew what to say exactly. He didn't want her to think that he was falling for her, especially since he wasn't the romantic type. Hell, he'd never really _dated_ before, which he was afraid to admit to anyone, "Our next appearance will be at the ballroom event."

She glanced over at him, eyes batted, her long lashes fluttering, "Are we accompanying each other, Mister Kaiba?"

"No." He narrowed his eyes on her while she tried to suppress a laugh, "Besides, you have your bodyguard."

"His name's Niall." She mused on his name, thinking back on his voice singing an Irish lullaby, "I must say that he never leaves my side…"

"Must be irritating…" He stared off to the left at the stereo that she had been messing with the other night.

"Not really. We have an understanding about it all." She smirked, sauntering over to him, "You seem a bit jealous."

"Why would I be jealous? He has to spend an evening with _you_." He laughed while she glared at him, "It's not like I'm incapable of having a date."

"I just figured you always went _stag_." She giggled, pleased to see him scowl, "You're Seto Kaiba, King of the Corporate World! A world renowned duelist! An eighteen year old prodigy-!" She stopped when she noticed that he was standing close to her, staring down with those demanding blue eyes, "Did I forget to list something?"

"Richest CEO in the world." He gave that a thought, "I think that's all."

She tried not to laugh, "Oh…my apologies. That one seemed to slip my mind."

"Best not let that happen again."

She wasn't sure where their little conversation would have gotten them because Mokuba walked into the room, three boxes of pizza in his arms. Gwen quickly dismissed herself from the limited space between her and Seto so that she could help Mokuba with the boxes, which he couldn't see overtop of.

"Thank you very much, Mokuba," she chirped.

"Just so you know…" He leaned closer to her, donning a debonair grin, "…if this were _our_ first date, I would have taken you out somewhere expensive."

She tried not to laugh, especially when she saw Seto's eyes grow to the size of his face, "How very thoughtful of you. I'll definitely keep that in mind next time I'm in need a good night out."

Mokuba was overly thrilled by that notion, glancing over at his brother, who was shaking his head in disbelief. When Seto cleared his throat, he got the hint to leave, taking one of the boxes of pizza with him. He wasn't exactly sure what Seto was thinking, but he figured it had something to do with being alone with Gwen.

"It would seem that my brother has found a fondness for you," Seto muttered.

Gwen, sitting down on the couch, began to laugh, "How can you blame him?"

"You're not exactly gorgeous," he spat.

She was pretending to not be offended by his comment. Reaching for her purse, she took out her water bottle, figuring she could wash down what she wanted to say to him. She hated that smirk on his face, the one that said "I win". Someday, and she hoped it would be soon, she'd get him back for all the bullshit, "Then what exactly am I, Mister Kaiba?"

The smirk changed, this time creating an overly seductive gleam in his features. He walked closer to her, hands resting on the back of the couch while he leaned his face next to hers. Damn, she was wearing that same perfume. Was she trying to prove something? He chuckled, breath hot against her cheeks while she flushed madly with color, "You're Gweneth O'Malley, reigning Miss Illinois."

"I think you're missing several things, Mister Kaiba."

He shrugged, "What else is there to you? You don't have an extended resume."

She turned her face to his, paralyzed by the sultry stare of his blue eyes. Her heart was racing furiously in her chest and she assumed he knew it. Close again as if they were dancing, she found herself biting at her bottom lip while wishing she could feel his heartbeat in his chest. God knows it was difficult to think that he actually had a heart, "You should spend a little time getting to know me."

"I don't want to know you." He leaned away from her, which made her falter and nearly tumble over, "You might want to invest in creating a better image of yourself."

"Thanks for the advice…"

"When you're done eating we have work to finish."

Oh joy…more notes…

. . . .

It was eight at night, but her lesson was still continuing. She was near exhaustion, her eyelids growing heavy as she tried to keep up with his drawling once again and when her head hit the table she was sitting at, she knew it was over for her. Eyes closed, she dozed off quickly until Seto walked up beside her and slammed one of his textbooks onto the table. The sound of it cracking against wood made her jolt upright while, in the process, throwing her backwards out of her chair.

She decided to just lie on the floor and stare up at him. It felt a lot better than returning to her desk to pretend she was paying enough attention to what he was telling her. Smiling up at him, she tried to read his expression, but all she got was him looking just as exhausted as she was, "I think we're both rather tired, Mister Kaiba."

"Do you think that matters?" He picked up the textbook he used to wake her, "This will be your final assignment. Read through the last ten chapters of this book and then you can leave." He glanced down at his watch, "It seems that I am late for a conference call. Make sure you finish before I get back."

She groaned loudly, wanting to throw a temper tantrum, though it would get her nowhere, "You're such an asshole."

"Get used to it."

He left in a rush, taking his cell phone out and dialing someone's number. He was talking loudly as he closed the door behind him, leaving her to sit in his office, once again, all alone.

. . . .

He had practically spent the entire day with her, though he wasn't finding that he liked her any more. She was still so inexperienced and what he wanted her to achieve was a bit too extraordinary. But maybe that was why he wanted to accomplish it? He was Seto Kaiba, which he as beginning to think he had to remind himself more often of, and he wanted this challenge so he could prove something, though he wasn't sure what that something was.

Strolling down the hallway, a glass of water in his hand, he tried to piece together what was spinning in the back of his mind. He needed a reason to why he wanted to be close to Gwen. It was certainly strange to feel like he wanted to test her resistance towards him, though he was glad that she hadn't snapped. With that in mind, he told himself that he had lost it just the other night. Granted, it only resulted in a "standoff" and not a sexual encounter.

But that thought was certainly entertaining. It wasn't like he was "masterful" with women, which wasn't something he wanted to admit. He just didn't have time to be engaging in relationships. Gwen would be leaving for home after this whole conference, so maybe he could use her to relieve the stress of his job and of training her. He doubted she'd resist him as he plainly saw it in her eyes the other night that she wanted to venture further into the corners of his mind.

Oh, those dark corners of his mind where he was plagued by the thrill of a passionate embrace. He only imagined that there wasn't a more pleasing sound than that of a woman begging for release. Her fingers knotting in his hair, the smell of her perfume intoxicating him, the taste of sweat inside each furious kiss, her soft moans of his name lacing into the musky air, her curvy figure sliding against his where friction was enough to drive them over the edge-

He stopped just outside the doors to his office, alarmed by the sudden tightness in his groin. Leaning his back against the wall, he tried to compose his thoughts that had run away with the idea of having sex with her. It wasn't like she was desirable in that manner! Or at least…in his case he didn't think she was desirable…There wasn't a logical excuse to why he was feeling this way, but he needed to get rid of "it" before he continued with the rest of these lessons.

Walking into his office, he looked around while he set his glass of water on his desk to find that Gwen wasn't there. Music was being played again- Damn her for messing with his stereo. _Safe to say from here…You're getting closer now…We are never sad 'cause we are not allowed to be. _He wandered around the office until he heard the faint sound of snoring. Peering over the top of the couch, he let out a sigh of disbelief. There was Gwen asleep with the textbook lying against her torso.

Elbows resting on the top of the couch, he set his chin in his palms while deciding to just stare at her. For the most part, she was a quiet sleeper, ever so often a snore escaping as she shifted her position as much as she could. He reached out to her, pushing a strand of raven hair from her face, which made her wrinkle her nose. _Rain, rain go away, come again another day. All the world is waiting for the sun._ He pried the textbook from her arms and as he leaned away from her, she grabbed his wrist.

Eyes wide, he tried not to make another move, though he was a bit off kilter with the way he was standing. He stared down at her, wondering what that sudden movement was from. Her lips parted and near inaudible words slithered from her mouth, causing him to lean over to see if he could make any of them out. It sounded like she was speaking in another language, a dialect that he wasn't even sure anyone could translate.

But that was when something stranger happened.

Her eyes opened, but the pupils and irises were white until she blinked. Faint beams of blue light streamed from her eyes in a ghostlike fog, circling around him while she still continued to mutter incoherently, though it sounded faster this time. Her grip on him tightened and he felt like imprints of her fingertips were burning into his skin. He grimaced, almost falling to his knees until she released him and crashed against the pillow she had her head rested on.

What the _fuck_?

Shaking his head, he found himself praying that this wasn't some stupid magic trick that he was being pulled into. He had had enough of this mystic bullshit that he thought he'd escaped. He watched her for a few more moments, seeing her toss back and forth a bit, which made him wonder what was going through her mind. She looked troubled while she fought to regain her fitful sleep.

He didn't know the dialect she was speaking, but maybe it was something from Ireland? Though that wasn't as assuring as a thought, it seemed slightly reasonable. Curiosity was a bitch and he knew he wanted to know why she acted as she did. The last thing he wanted was to spend any time getting to know her.

Strolling over to his desk, he rummaged through the bottom drawer at his desk, pulling out a bottle of scotch. After finishing off the water in the glass he had earlier, he filled it back up about halfway with scotch while meandering over to the couch. He sat down on the floor beside it, once more drawing a strand of hair from her face. He was glad Samantha wasn't here to tease him for being so mesmerized by her. If he was going to admit anything, it would be that she was a beautiful sleeper.

Sipping on his glass, he let his fingers gently brush over her cheek. Smooth skin? Somehow he wasn't surprised. He froze up when he saw her wrinkle her nose, but he was fortunate that she didn't wake up. He didn't want to attempt to explain what he was doing. Finishing his first glass of scotch, he felt the world give a little tug, though not enough to throw him too far from reality. As he found himself staring at her lips, no longer glossed to a sparkle, he grew more and more curious about kissing her.

A regular Sleeping Beauty story...He filled himself a second glass of scotch while musing on the idea of catching her off guard. He doubted she'd enjoy the taste of scotch on his breath, but before he could get any further with his wondering, he heard her phone go off. He tried to listen closely to the lyrics of the song that hummed in the air. The singer had a distinct accent, Irish if he was correct. Digging her phone out of her purse, which sat at the far end of the couch, he checked the screen which flashed a name.

He answered it, figuring it was best if he told her bodyguard where she was, "Hello, Niall. It's Seto Kaiba."

"Where's Miss O'Malley?"

Seto glanced over at her with a laugh to himself, "She's currently asleep in my office."

He swore Niall had been cursing before speaking, "Did it not occur to you to wake her up?"

"I'd rather not disturb her." Seto was trying to detect that spark of jealousy in Niall's voice, "Are you concerned about her being alone with me?"

"I trust Miss O'Malley's decisions." Seto had a hard time believing that. There was a moment of silence where Niall cleared his throat, "But let me give you a word of caution, Sir Kaiba." Seto rolled his eyes while taking a long drink from his glass, "If I find out that you've hurt her in _any_ way…I'll personally march into your office and cut that arrogant smirk off your face. I'm willing to risk everything to assure that justice will be served."

Seto set his glass down on the coffee table, chuckling to himself, "I think you're more worried about losing her to me."

"Trust me, Sir Kaiba; I don't see you as competition." His eyes grew wide while he listened to Niall's hollow laughter, "You know nothing about my Little Miss and I can promise you that you're the last person on her mind." Seto's hand clenched into a fist, "If that is all, then I bid you goodbye."

Seto didn't even have time to respond before Niall hung up. Tossing her phone back into her purse, he thought about drinking a bit more from his bottle of scotch, but that might prompt him to call Niall back. Not that arguing would get him anywhere; it would just make him feel better to have the last word.

Eyes back on Gwen, he drew his knees to his chest while his thoughts returned to a thousand compliments of her tranquil complexion. If he had drunk one more glass, he probably would have kissed her, which he was thankful for not doing. Curiosity was known to bite back as it is always said that it "killed the cat". Instead, he watched her for awhile longer before deciding it was best to just sleep in his office tonight to make sure nothing happened to her.

Standing up, he made his way to the door so he could go find Mokuba as he knew his brother would be thrilled by the idea of a "sleepover". He thought about drawing the line to avoid her spending any future nights in his office, but he knew, deep down somewhere, that he wanted those late nights with her. _Leave that thought to another day…_He gave a small laugh while standing in the elevator that brought him down to the main level. _Leave that thought to another day…_

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><p><strong>Well! another chapter over. <strong>

**few thoughts to keep in mind: What language was Gwen speaking and wtf happened? Also, Niall is quite up in arms about Seto. He's not too keen on Gwen's little crush... And Seto's got some interesting, hormonal thoughts about Gwen. haha**

**i think that's all for the moment. chapter 9 is being expanded so we'll see when i get the chance to update.**

**please leave a review! thank those of you who have been. :)**

**-TSA**


	9. Chapter 9

**hey! so here's another update. i'm currently on a roll, so things are being posted rather quickly. **

**anyway, hope you liked last chapter. i had to split this one because it was just getting overbearing. **

**thanks for the alert, btw!**

**enjoy**

**-TSA**

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><p>Chapter 9:<p>

"Leaving again, Little Miss?"

Gwen tried to ignore the prying Niall was attempting to do while she rummaged through her closet to find something to wear, "This is a normal occurrence now, Niall." She pulled out a periwinkle cashmere sweater, deciding it would have to do with her white jean skirt. When she glanced over at him, he had his head bowed, "Nothing happened last night."

"Even if something did happen, I highly doubt you'd tell me." He turned his back and made to leave the room.

Fully dressed, she ran after him to find him in the kitchen, brewing a cup of coffee, "You're being unfair. I'm not lying to you!"

"You should listen to Jacque. Sir Kaiba is dangerous."

"He's really not." Gwen shook her head while crossing her arms over her chest, "He just…needs someone…"

Niall's hands clenched into fists, but he restrained himself from yelling at her. A confession now of all times was not a reasonable thing to do. He was sure she knew that he was fond of her as he had been her guardian for several years. Watching her blossom into the woman she was now made him realize what he wanted in life, "Is that all, Little Miss?"

She gave him no reply while snatching up her purse, which was on the table, and storming out of the hotel room. He could be so unreasonable! She never thought he'd be jealous over something so small! But maybe it wasn't jealousy…? Strolling down the sidewalk, still muttering angrily, she was hardly paying attention to where she was walking. As she made her way to cross the street, she felt someone grab hold of her arm, yanking her back to the sidewalk.

The car sped past her, swerving with a honk and a few curses flying out the window. Her eyes were wide while she huddled close to the arms that held her. It was a secure embrace, not too tight, but enough to give her the feeling of safety. When she looked up, she blushed a little at the young man holding onto her. His eyes smiled at her while she wobblingly straightened herself out. Smoothing the wrinkles of her sweater, she bit on her bottom lip while giggling.

"You should be more careful when you're walking, Ma'am." He laughed a little, "Can't promise I'll be there the next time."

She was sure her face was a deep scarlet, "I'll try not to walk absentmindedly…" She adjusted her purse on her shoulder and gave him a nod of the head, meandering across the street, assuring that the "walk" sign was flashing. When she glanced over her shoulder, she saw her savior wandering up to her, "I think I can handle it from here."

"I just wanted to make sure you get wherever safely." He gave her a flirty grin, "Wouldn't want you to run into anything."

She giggled, "I'm perfectly capable of walking by myself-" She was cut off as he grabbed her around the waist, pulling her aside so she didn't hit the lamppost. When she looked back at him, he was trying very hard not to laugh, "Alright…maybe today's just not my day." She felt him link her arm with his and she couldn't help a smile, "I don't believe we've introduced ourselves."

"I'm Amelda." He brought her hand up to his lips, kissing her palm, which made her face flush with color, "I feel like I should know you're name…"

"It's Gwen."

He nodded his head, "Gweneth O'Malley, if I'm not mistaken?"

"Someone did his homework." She gave him a playful glance, "Though I'm curious how you knew that."

"I work for a guy in the corporate industry. He makes sure I'm well versed on other CEOs that he's met."

"Have I met your boss?"

Amelda shook his head, "I don't think so, Ma'am, though I'm sure he'll make an appearance soon."

She stopped walking by the doors of Kaiba Corp, her arm falling from his. She rocked on her heels for a moment, not so sure that she wanted to leave her newfound companion, "Should I expect to see you again, or is this goodbye?"

"Depends on what you want." He gave a shrug, "We can leave that up to fate or leave it in our hands."

She shyly looked away from him while hugging her purse to her chest, "I'd rather like to see you again…"

Her face exploded with color as he gently touched her chin to bring her eyes back to his. He winked at her, "Then you will."

He left her at that, walking off down the street to disappear in the crowds of people. With a glance over his shoulder, he watched her walk inside Kaiba Corp. which made his blood boil. All he could think about was his revenge, despite that he was willing to admit that Gwen was an attractive individual. Sweeping into an alleyway, he waited a moment until Varon and Raphael showed up. Hands jammed in his pockets, he tried to hide his smirk while Varon crossed his arms over his chest and began to pout.

"You just got lucky."

Amelda laughed, "Don't be mad because this _fruit's_ got game."

"You obviously cheated!" Varon threw his arms up in the air, "You just happened to stop by when she was about to get hit by a car!"

"She seems more inclined to talk to me than you, Varon." Amelda walked over and patted him on the cheek, "Don't be upset. There are plenty of other women out there-"

"That's beside the point." He slapped Amelda's hand away, "I don't think it's fair that you mess around with her so you can get closer to Seto Kaiba."

Amelda shrugged, leaning against the alley wall, "It doesn't matter what I do with her. This isn't about feelings. It's about revenge."

"What if she winds up genuinely liking you? Won't you feel a bit guilty for just hurting her?"

Amelda let out a howling laugh, "Since when did you get all soft?"

Varon shifted his weight uncomfortably, "I'm not soft, Amelda."

"You said it yourself- She's not supposed to be mine in the end." Amelda gave that a thought, curious if he would fall victim to any form of affection, "Just sit back and watch me at work, Varon. You might learn a thing or two!"

. . . .

She was pleasantly surprised when she arrived in Seto's office that morning. He seemed to be in a good mood, which to her meant that he had destroyed someone's reputation or their company. Following him to the elevator, she chose not to speak until they reached the twelfth floor that opened up to a huge ballroom. She had half a hunch that this was the place he would throw a "party", not that she figured he had any need to do such a thing.

Glancing around, she ran to catch up with him as he wandered across the marble floors to where a skinny woman with brown hair streaked with grey was fiddling with a music player. She wasn't sure what this exactly meant, but she was figuring that she wasn't going to like it. The clicking of her "bootie" heels echoed off the walls as she scurried over next to Seto while he greeted the lady. From a first impression, she looked rather mean…

"I'll be back in an hour, Miss O'Malley."

She lifted a brow, "What exactly am I doing?"

"Learning to dance." He smirked a little, "It's a requirement in this business."

"I know how to dance-"

"You're very intimidated while being in the arms of someone powerful." She rolled her eyes while he turned on his heel and made to leave, "_Try_ to behave while I'm gone."

She crossed her arms over her chest, calling out to him, "The least you could have done was hire a _hot_ Latino guy to teach me to dance!" She glanced over at the woman while shrugging, "I'm Gweneth O'Malley."

"My name is Tecla Rivera Vega." She gestured for her to step closer while clicking the play button on her stereo. There was a sultry tune that lifted through the air. Feeling as though she'd heard the song before, she walked over to stand beside Tecla, "Our first lesson is rhythm."

"I understand that." Gwen giggled while giving a little demonstration by giving a twist and roll with her hips and chest, "I just don't understand the ballroom part."

Tecla laughed, "Then we will move to lesson two: Ballroom decorum."

This was going to be a long day.

. . . .

Seto didn't show up in an hour. As a matter of fact, he didn't show up for quite awhile. She was stuck with her stingy dance instructor, who kept scolding her for adding a sexual twist to all her dances. Wasn't that what you were supposed to do with the tango, rumba, and salsa? It was driving her insane to have to continually start over each time she felt the need to throw in her little movements, though it was certainly strange with a female dancing "partner".

Stomping her feet as Tecla raved about how the tango was a very strong dance and needed her to remain firm with all her movements. But she was growing very tired, her ankles killing her as she twirled around in her five inch heels. Why did she always have such a bad choice in shoes? Not to mention she had to stay up on her toes to avoid collapsing. She tried to block out Tecla's constant criticism, and when she was caught rolling her eyes, the fireworks went off.

"Fine! If you don't want to listen, then I cannot help you!"

Gwen chased after her as she went to stomp out of the ballroom, "I'm just confused! I promise I'm listening-!"

"What seems to be the problem?"

Gwen froze as Seto strolled into the ballroom, a look of annoyance on his face. He jammed his cell phone into his pocket while she fiddled with the bottom of her sweater, "Nothing is the problem."

"Then why is Madam Vega on the war path to leave my corporation?"

"We had a minor altercation…"

Tecla threw her hands up into the air, "She will not listen to me! Sure, she knows the steps, but she knows nothing about decorum!"

"This wouldn't be the only place where she has minimal decorum." Seto sighed in irritation, taking off his jacket and setting it on the ground before loosening his tie. He gestured for Gwen to follow him as he made his way across the marble floors to the middle of the room, "Once again, it seems I am left to teach you about your mannerisms as a CEO. What a hassle…" He held his hand out to Gwen, who looked at him with distrust, "Well, what are you waiting for?"

She shook her head, snapping back to reality, "For the music, obviously."

"Before we start…" He held her hand tightly, his arm hooking around her waist and pulling her up against himself, "…I am reminding you that the tango varies from being an arm's length away and being pressed tightly to each other." The music began and he initiated the first step, which caught her off guard, "Majority of those who dance this assure that the legs and ankles brush against one another so as to keep their feet as close to the ground as possible."

She met his next step, leg drawing up to his waist as he pulled her across the floor, "Though you forget the most essential part of the dance." She gasped as he spun her into a dip before yanking her back up against himself, chests pressed together so that their heartbeats were in tandem, "The emotion between two partners makes this dance what it is."

Seto seemed more than eager to explore the possibilities of that while they continued to sway to the sultry Spanish tune. It was certainly a song he recognized, though the last time they danced to it, they weren't tangoing. His hand slid along her back, but before a sensual caress could be issued, he spun her out of his arms, though quickly returning her to their tight embrace. He smirked when he saw her slightly dazed expression, though he found that she laughed a little.

They were moving in perfect synchronization, each step taken echoing off the floors to emphasize who was in control. She enjoyed each twist and turn, the way he would force her arms to lock before allowing her to melt against him. With each time he brought her back to his embrace, he felt her hips rolling into his, something he secretly enjoyed. The dance was stronger now while he spun her around under his arm three times before bringing her back against his chest, swaying momentarily while moving across the floor.

Spinning her around once more, he was glad to see her not fumbling. Cheek pressed to cheek, he savored the way her breath tickled his ear. He laughed as goose bumps crawled along her neck while his lips ghosted over her ear, "You're not intimidated by me?"

Her leg wrapped around his thigh as the song came to a slow end. Her hand slid along his arm, fingertips brushing over his neck then his cheek, "Not on the dance floor, Mister Kaiba."

"Then maybe you are learning?" He stepped away from her, holding her hand while bringing it up to his lips, "Now, that is how you tango."

She blushed a little, glancing over at Tecla, who was smirking, "Guess I'm not as bad at this as I seem?"

"You still have a lot to learn," Tecla chimed.

Gwen glanced over at Seto, who had untied his tie to leave it strung around his neck, "What do you say to clubbing tonight?" She sauntered up to him, running her hand along his chest while standing up on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear, "I could show you what _real_ dancing is."

"Clubbing? I don't know of any place close to here-" He paused, thinking that over. Of course, he knew places. He just wasn't sure he wanted to get that personal with her, though the dark corners of his mind disagreed with him, "There is one. I'm just not sure I'll have an opening in my schedule."

She rolled her eyes, "You're not supposed to go out until midnight anyway." She reached into his pocket, the gesture causing him to freeze up, and pulled out his cell phone. She flipped through his schedule, "Looks like you're not booked for the late night!"

He snatched his phone back, "I need to assure that Mokuba will be taken care of."

"You mean to tell me that he can't spend one night by himself? He'll be asleep by the time we leave!" She smirked while he glowered at her, "Don't you figure you have enough _servants_ in your house to watch over him?"

"They aren't servants." He crossed his arms, watching her as she gave a little swerve of her hips, dancing to whatever song was beating between her ears. He was slowly growing more curious about her; though he felt it would be a dangerous happening to be intimate with her. It wasn't uncommon for people to be pushed into sexual encounters after a night of dancing and alcohol, but was he really willing to cross that line with her if the opportunity presented itself? "What makes you think this is a good idea?"

She was still shimmying and shaking while circling around him, "I don't think it's a good idea. Frankly, I think it's a really _bad_ idea." She chuckled, "But that's why I want to do it."

He wasn't sure what would have happened if he refused to embark on this escapade with her, but he figured it wouldn't kill him to attempt to be a normal young adult. Rolling his eyes, he tried to think of a way to not give her the satisfaction of seeing him agree to it all, which proved pointless, "Fine, but that doesn't mean I'll like it."

She laughed loudly, "I think you will…"

* * *

><p><strong>DATE NIGHT. haha. Niall is going to have a FIT when he finds out. poor guy- she keeps yanking his chain! next chapter is being edited and i hope you all enjoy it's sexual qualities...haha<strong>

**oh! yay for Amelda! I'm still playing around with that...**

**well then, did you like this chapter? I'm practicing writing dance scenes (which is a pain in the ass when you aren't a dancer) and I quite enjoy that as an exchange between Seto and Gwen. They are both very "in control" people and it tests them to not always be leading. **

**BTW! I was totally inspired by the tango while watching "Scent of a Woman". Look up the tango scene from that and tell me what you think! it's possibly my favorite part of the movie. :)**

**please leave a review! i'm hoping i compelled you all to do so with this installment...**

**until next time,**

**-TSA**


	10. Chapter 10

**hey! thanks for the alerts and review. that made me really happy! :)**

**Mkay, this chapter is sorta long. lots of suggestive moments- If you don't want to read it then i suggest you don't despite that you all know this story is M rated. **

**Disclaimer: don't own YGO. I don't own "Hit Me Baby One More Time", "Hold it Against Me", or "Unusual You" by Britney Spears. I don't own "Whiskey Girl" as that belongs to Toby Keith. Lastly, I don't own "Chemicals React" by Aly and AJ. **

**This chapter has a lot of music. I am a huge fan of Britney Spears' music, so bear with me if you don't care for her. sorry. :/ **

**enough of my rambling... Enjoy!**

**-TSA**

* * *

><p>Chapter 10:<p>

"You're going out tonight?" Niall sighed heavily while leaning his back against the bedroom door. He wasn't used to being locked out, and that sudden change in their relationship hurt like a bullet through the heart. He began humming another song from his Irish home, hoping to ease the pang in his chest while she insisted on not answering. He expected this behavior from her. It was the price he was paying for letting her mingle with Seto Kaiba, "You're not going to talk to me, are you?"

_Were you right, was I wrong, were you weak, was I strong? Yeah._

He heard the lock release and he leaned off the door while she opened it up a crack, peering at him while licking her lips that were painted candy-apple red. He liked that color. Stepping aside, he waited to see if she walked out, and when she did, he bit his tongue to avoid yelling at her for her choice of attire.

"I need to have a little fun, Niall." She listened to him sigh impatiently, "Don't give me that." _Both of us broken, caught in a moment._

He ran his fingers through his hair, the color of wheat in the valleys between the mountains where he would often travel for a taste of adventure, "I refuse to point out the error of your ways, since you'll never listen to me."

"Why can't you just get over that I fell asleep in his office?" she snapped. _We lived and we loved and we hurt and we jumped. Yeah._

"That has nothing to do with this-"

"You're so bent out of shape by the notion that I just might be interested in him!"

"That's not true-

"Then why are you so bothered with me being near him?"

"I'm not bothered-"

"Quit lying!" Gwen stomped past him, "You're not my father, Niall!"

_But the planets all aligned when you looked into my eyes and just like that-_

He grabbed her arm, spinning her around, "I don't want him to hurt you!" There was a silence where Niall realized the misunderstanding and fear in her eyes. He'd never raised his voice in the seven years he'd watched over her. Feeling her hands braced against his chest, he tempted collapsing against her, "I don't want him to hurt you…"_ The chemicals react._

She stood up on her toes and gently kissed his cheek, "I'm going to be late." _The chemicals react._

He watched her slip from his arms, shuffling out of the hotel room without so much as a glance over her shoulder. His heart felt heavy enough to force him to his knees, but he remained standing. For what purpose? His damned Irish pride wouldn't let him fall. Not even when he felt like he was losing the most important thing in his life.

. . . .

"You're going out tonight?"

Seto wasn't sure if Mokuba was happy for him or angry at him, "It's nothing personal." He was trying to decide on a shirt to wear and if he needed a tie or not. Walking into his closet, he realized that he didn't have much to wear that would be considered his "age". He was a CEO for God's sake! He didn't run around like a dweeb-y teenager, "I don't even know why I agreed to it in the first place!"

"She's gonna look so hot…" Mokuba whined.

"Trust me; I don't think she's attractive."

Mokuba threw his arms up in the air, falling down on Seto's bed, "How can you say that? She's so beautiful!"

"No. She's not." Seto buttoned up his collared shirt before grabbing a blue tie, "She's just like every other Beauty Pageant bitch…" He rolled his eyes, "Aren't you supposed to be in bed by now?"

Mokuba scowled while shuffling from Seto's room. He hopped down the stairway that led to the main level, dodging passing butlers and maids. As he landed on the last step, he heard the chiming of the doorbell. Bolting to answer it, he nearly skidded across the floor while grabbing hold of the doorknob and flinging the door open. He gave a smile to Gwen, who was holding her compact mirror up while reapplying her red lipstick.

"You _sure_ you're here for my brother?" Mokuba said.

Gwen gave him a wink, "That depends on how our night goes." She walked inside, snake-skin, gladiator zip-up sandal clicking on the tile floors. She had to have been six inches off the ground, at least that's how he felt, "Don't tell me your brother intends on standing me up!"

"He'd be a fool if he does!" Mokuba was practically drooling over her. She had a black, lace corseted top with a sweetheart neckline and light blue skinny jeans that hugged every corner of her. He wasn't sure what his brother was complaining about, "He's probably upstairs still. I can go get him-"

"Actually, Mokuba…" She began making her way up the staircase after setting her mirror and lipstick on the small table beside her with a vase of flowers, "…what room is his?"

He lifted a brow, watching her hips swing as she walked, "Um…fourth on the right."

Gwen sauntered around the hall on the right, staring at the fourth door. She giggled while imagining what would happen if she didn't knock and just invited herself in. Frankly, that sounded like fun. With a tiny laugh, she slowly opened the door and slipped inside, eyes moving frantically to find him. A breathy sigh escaped her as she saw his sculpted shoulders and biceps as he pulled his arms through the sleeves of a black collared shirt. She felt her knees quake for a moment while he turned around, shirt left unbuttoned.

What could have made this moment better? She had no idea. Biting her bottom lip, she shifted her weight around until he stepped closer to her, buttoning his shirt along the way, which made her nearly collapse.

"I don't recall you knocking," he muttered.

"I'm sorry that you take so long to get dressed." She watched as he went to put his tie on, quickly grabbing his hand and tossing the silk thing onto his bed, "Trust me, you won't need it."

He seemed a tad alarmed by the way she winked at him, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It gets hot in there."

He decided against prying into what she meant while she gestured for him to follow her. What was he thinking anyway? This was just a disaster waiting to happen. If he got lucky, she wouldn't make him spend that much time with that loud music pounding in the building. Whenever it was that he could return to the peace and quiet would be the best part of his night. Fuck, why was he even doing this?

"Uncomfortable, are we?" she sneered.

Seto rolled his eyes as his limo driver pulled up, "Do you really believe that I'm out of my element?"

"I figured if we aren't surrounded by businessmen then you aren't 'in your element'." She slid into the limousine, asking his chauffer to turn the music to an upbeat radio station, which he grudgingly agreed to. Music blasting from the speakers, she gave Seto a smirk while he began his usual pout, "You don't know how to have fun, do you?"

"We have two different ideas of fun, Miss O'Malley."

She was singing every song she recognized on the radio, something she knew annoyed Seto, but she was thoroughly enjoying all his scowling. When Britney Spears' music began playing, she noticed that he was listening to her with intrigue. She was shaking around in her seat, running her fingers through her hair while singing each word with a faint whiny twang that made him shiver, though she swore from excitement.

Sliding to the floor of his limo, she crawled along until she was sitting at his feet. She climbed onto his lap, hoping to spark his interest as she had that one lovely night, "My loneliness is killing me. I must confess I still believe when I'm not with you I lose my mind." She smirked while his hands ran along her thighs, pulling her tighter against himself, "Give me a sign. Hit me baby one more time."

Hands moving along to her stomach, she felt him pull her shirt up, feeling each inch of warm skin that shivered with goose bumps after his caresses. She titled her head back, rolling her hips against his while his fingertips brushed along the underside of her breast. No bra? That was kinky.

The car rolled to a stop, Seto's hands falling from her while he gave her a little push to remove her from himself. Straightening himself out as he opened the door, he could already hear the music pounding inside the building. When Gwen slipped up beside him, he offered his arm to her, which she gratefully took as they made their way toward the front door.

Inside, the Technicolor lights were flashing, people crowding around the bar and dance floor, bodies against bodies in a fit of heated passion. Gwen led him along until they came to a stairway that wound in circles, leading them to a second floor where less people were, but there was a security guard standing there. Figuring it required a VIP pass; he tried to get her to walk back to the first level. To his surprise, all Gwen had to do was show him her ID and they were granted access.

"What was that about?" he asked, thankful for the quieter music.

"It pays to be rich." She laughed while he shook his head, "Figured you wanted to be someplace less crowded."

"You're crazy."

She licked her lips, letting go of his arm to hop around to the techno beat that rung off the walls. She beckoned for him to join her, but he shook his head and made his way to the bar, figuring a couple strong ones would loosen him up. With a roll of her eyes, she vanished onto the dance floor, grinding up against anyone that bumped into her, all laughing drunkenly. Even if he was going to be a stick in the mud, she was planning on enjoying herself.

Seto sat down at the bar, ordering a strawberry margarita, pleased with the idea of tequila. He watched the people dancing, looking for any sign of his raven haired maiden. When his drink was handed to him, he took a careful sip while his eyes found her. She was between two blondes, all grinding against one another, laughing and singing the lyrics to the song playing. Just the sight of her hips rocking into the girl in front of her made him shiver.

What was so alluring about that sight? He was drinking his margarita faster than he wanted to and it made his world spin momentarily. He set his drink down while following Gwen as she began dancing around in circles until she was yanked up against a burly fellow. _That_ made his blood boil. She was quick to dismiss herself from him, all the while shimmying and shaking that ass of hers that was tightly confined in her jeans, though with enough movement he swore someone would see her panties.

Sighing heavily, he found himself with a slight smile as a group of people surrounded her while she took her turn to rule the dance floor. Every gesture, every turn, every shake, every coil of her body- He was lost to it. He felt the bartender tap his shoulder and when he glanced over at him, he saw a smirk on his lips. _Hey, over there, please, forgive me if I'm comin' on too strong._

"You with that girl?" the man asked.

Seto shrugged, "I came with her." _Hate to stare, but, you're winnin' and they're playin' my favorite song._

"You might not be leaving with her, Buddy!" The bartender laughed, "If I were you, I wouldn't be letting that beauty get too far."

Seto grimaced, noticing that Gwen had disappeared. _So, come here a little closer, wanna whisper in your ear._ He rose from his seat while cursing himself for losing her momentarily. Crossing the dance floor, dodging each girl that yanked on his sleeve, he found himself seized by his belt. He was spun around, hips meeting Gwen's as she pressed herself up against him. He smirked, hands sliding along her thighs and pulling her as close to himself as possible, feeling for each inch of her from under those skinny jeans.

_Make it clear a little question; wanna know just how you feel…_

This didn't count as dancing. He wasn't even sure what it was! All he knew was that he enjoyed being so close to her with the music flooding through his ears. Her features were calm, almost lost to the way he stared down at her, trying to keep up with her rhythm. _If I said my heart was beating loud, if we could escape the crowd somehow, if I said I want your body now-_ The song's beat suddenly dropped to a slower count, nearly catching him off guard.

But she assured him that she knew how to move. _Would you hold it against me?_ Her hips rolled against his while his hands ran along to pull at her shirt again. Fingers brushing over her stomach to leave goose bumps in their tracks, he tried to find a trigger to make her break. All he wanted was to discover her carnally. They'd moved along to the nearest wall, fumbling over each other as he pushed her up against it. Moving between her thighs, she gasped a little, though there wasn't much room for her to wiggle away from him.

_'Cause, you feel like paradise and I need a vacation tonight._ His blue eyes were set ablaze and she loved the way he teased her with brushing his lips along her shoulders and neck. It was close enough to sex with the way they grinded up against each other and their hands tore at clothes for a taste of skin. _So, if I said I want your body now-_ She managed to unbutton his shirt halfway, hands sliding over sweaty muscles while he tickled the undersides of her breasts. Damn, she hadn't even gotten a drink in before this lit up.

_Would you hold it against me?_

She was singing the words to the song, hissing them in his ear. Finally being allowed a bit of space, she grabbed him by his collar and threw him up against the wall, smirking as he insisted on hooking his thumbs in her pockets to drag her back against himself. She didn't know where in the song they were, but it felt like they had been dancing together for hours.

"I think I need a drink," she laughed.

Seto titled his head back, trying to breathe while avoiding inhaling her perfume, "Something strong I assume?"

"You know what I like."

He half laughed, running his fingers through her silky hair, "My little whiskey girl…"

"I don't recall being yours."

Damn, he loved that challenge in her voice. Offering her his arm again, they made their way over to the bar, the music in the room dropping to a mellower tune that was refreshing compared to all the upbeat songs. He watched as she leaned against the bar counter, still shaking her ass to any beat she could find hanging in the air. _Don't my baby look good in them blue jeans? _That was when he noticed it. He had to restrain himself from laughing as he saw the tattoo "tramp stamp" that was hiding on the crease of her jeans.

_Tight on the top with a belly button ring, a little tattoo somewhere in between she only shows to me. _It looked like two dolphins entwined together in a Tara Twist, a Celtic symbol he'd seen often. He wandered up next to her and gave a little tug to her pants, "Nice tat…"

She gave him a grin, "I don't usually let people see it. I thought I had put it far enough down."

"Guess I'm just special…" _Hey we're going out dancin' she's ready tonight. _He turned to the bartender, thinking over what he wanted, "I'll have a vodka martini."

Gwen laughed, "Shaken, not stirred."

Seto gave her a playful glare, something that felt awkward, but he liked the way she giggled. Licking his lips while she bounced from her heels to her toes, he found himself rather captivated by her. The glow of her face in the dim Technicolor lights of the room was enchanting, especially they way she smiled. _So damn good-lookin', Boys, it ain't even right._ He nodded his head to the bartender once he was handed his glass, noticing that the man was lingering so as to get a better look at Gwen.

_And when bar tender says, 'for the lady, what's it gonna be?'_

"What'll it be for the lady?"

Seto began to laugh. _I tell him, Man..._ "Whiskey on the rocks."

"You don't figure you've got a bottle of Green Spot Whiskey, do ya?" Gwen chimed.

The bartender smirked, "Looks like you're in luck, though it's not a very big bottle." _She ain't into wine and roses, beer just makes her turn up her nose, and she can't stand the thought of sippin' champagne._

Seto was shaking his head as she gratefully took hold of the glass she was given, taking a long drink of the whiskey from her homeland. She was sure her father's girl with the way she drank. He raised a toast to her when she set her glass down, which made her giggle. That calmness was returned to her face while she twirled her finger around in the ice and whiskey. _No Cuervo Gold Margaritas- Just ain't enough good burn in tequila._

"I think we've made progress in our relationship." She gave him a wink, "You can order a drink for me."

"I pay attention to detail." He drummed his fingers on the table before reaching into his wallet to pay the man for his margarita earlier and the two drinks now. _She needs somethin' with a little more edge and a little more pain._ "You're rather easy to read."

She rolled her eyes with a smile, "Oh, I don't think so. I let you read what I want you to read. The rest of these pages are my best kept secrets."

She was toying with the gold chain around her neck, drawing his eyes to the action, "I'd rather like to read the rest of those pages." _She's my little whiskey girl, she's my little whiskey girl, my ragged-on-the-edges girl- _

"Then finish up your drink." She titled her head back, taking hers down before sliding the glass over to the bartender, "Dancing's the best way for me to express myself."

_Ah, but I like 'em rough._

Seto willingly followed her as she took his hand, guiding him along the dance floor until they were surrounded by the shadows of the dark room. She invited herself back into his embrace, arms hooking around his neck while his hands buried into the back pockets of her jeans. Bodies entwining to the new beat laced into the air, the entire world felt like it had disappeared. Nothing was left but the sweet emotion of being so close.

Gwen pushed him back a bit, clapping with the rest of the people in the building as the beat of the song became the only thing heard. She spun around a couple times, fingers running through her hair while her eyes asked for him to come closer. He watched for a moment, arms crossed over his chest, amused by each swerve of her hips. He was beginning to like that. Holding his hand out to her, he waited as she shimmied back up to him.

Back in his arms, he pulled her into a dip, bringing her thigh up along his waist before swinging her upright. She slid her hands along his chest, feeling for any inch of skin. The contact of her fingernails dragging over his flesh made him shiver, breathless words slipping from his lips. He wasn't sure what he said, but her reaction was splendid. She rolled her hips against his, lips pressed to his ear while she tangled her fingers in his hair.

Fuck, he wanted to kiss her.

Hand around the back of her neck, he pulled her face to his, but before their lips met, the music was silenced. He glanced around while most the couples stopped dancing while shouting for what happened. When he looked back at Gwen, she was blushing while taking a step away from him. The music was returned quickly with a new song after an apology, but Gwen was making her way over to the bar. He waited behind, once more ignoring the tugs on his sleeves.

Gwen ordered another whiskey, pleased that the bartender brought her another Green Spot, despite that his bottle was coming close to empty. She sat down and drank it slowly, trying to get a grasp on reality, though the alcohol wasn't helping with that. Intimacy with the most powerful CEO? Was she just falling for his petty tricks? Or was he genuinely falling for her like she was for him? _Nothin' about you is typical, nothin' about you is predictable. You got me all twisted and confused. (It's so you)._

She watched him saunter across the room, lips pressed to her glass of whiskey as he made his way up beside her. He leaned his elbows against the bar counter, declining another drink. Sliding another few dollars over to the bartender, he waited to see if she'd talk to him. _Up 'til now, I thought I knew love. Nothin' to lose and it's damaged 'cause- Pattern to fall as quick as I do._ When she declined making the first move, he nodded his head.

"Would you like to leave?" he whispered.

_But now…_

Gwen finished off her drink, the world tugging at her, though she kept her feet on the ground. She nodded to him and took his arm, defenselessly trailing beside him. Her fingers drummed on his hand, which seemed to calm her as they stepped outside where the silence was the most welcoming force in the entire world. _Bridges are burnin', Baby, I'm learnin' a new way of thinking now._ She rested her head on his shoulder while he called for his limo, which was parked just around the corner.

She tumbled inside, laughing a little when she threw her legs on Seto's lap. He slowly unzipped her shoes and slid them off her feet, tossing them over onto the other seat. She wiggled her toes with a giggle until she saw him shift. He sat up, pulling her legs apart before lowering himself over her. Head tilted back, she welcomed the warmth of his body over hers as he propped himself up with his elbows on either side of her. _Love, I can see, nothing will be just like it was._

"You're crazy, you know?"

She reached a hand up, playfully pushing his hair from his beautiful blue eyes, "I prefer to say that I know how to have fun."

"I don't plan on admitting to having had 'fun'."

_Is that because-?_

She giggled at his smirk, the one that made his eyes heavy with seduction. Her hands unbuttoned the rest of his shirt, tugging it out from where it was tucked into his jeans. When she ran her fingers over his abdomen, she saw his features contort momentarily before he grabbed the bottom of her tube-top and yanked it off her. She instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, breathing deeply while he soaked in the radiance of her.

Flushing with color, she welcomed his warm hands that slid over her stomach. _Baby, you're so unusual._ His face leaned closer to hers, lips ghosting over hers, but again he was interrupted.

The car brakes slammed and they were thrown over onto the floor of the limo. Gwen snatched her top, fumbling to put it back on while Seto leaned over into the front seat. She shook her head a few times while her mind screamed at her for the way she was acting. When he sat back down, he grabbed his shirt and threw it on, not bothering to button it while he opened the car door. His stupid driver nearly drove past the house…

Seto stepped out onto the driveway, offering his hand to Gwen, which she always accepted. Walking inside his mansion house, she was surprised when he began to wander up the stairway. She was inclined to wander with him, curiosity getting the better of her. _Didn't anyone tell you you're s'posed to break my heart, I expect you to-_ Feet carrying her to that fourth room on the right, she found herself with eyes wide as he pushed the door open.

"Wait, I don't think that's a good idea-!"

_So why haven't you?_

"Do you really expect me to take advantage of you?" He gave a hollow laugh, pulling her closer to himself, "It's been a late night and we've both had a couple drinks."

She walked her fingers across his chest, "Who said it wouldn't be consensual?" _Maybe you're not even human 'cause only an angel could be so unusual._

"I think you need a bit more time before I push you to your limits." He took her hand and kissed her palm, "Remember…I'm ruthless in business _and_ pleasure."

She laughed when he winked at her. Gee, he hardly drank more than she did, but he was certainly way more amusing. _Sweet surprise I could get used to-_ Twirling away from him, she collapsed onto his bed, burying herself under the comforter and stealing two of his pillows. She giggled when he slid in beside her, propping his head up with his hand while he mused on the way her hair tumbled over her shoulder. Shrugging, he decided that words weren't necessary and sleep was the most important thing at the moment.

_Unusual you…_

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><p><strong>alright, i think i'm just continually making Niall's life a living hell. Not a happy camper tomorrow? I'll let you all think on that... I promise i won't keep beating on him!<strong>

**Hmmm... you all can think about Seto and Gwen's night. I'd like to know what everyone's thoughts are since I didn't exactly think about a desired effect that i wanted from those reading this...haha**

**please leave a review! **

**-TSA**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey! thanks for the review and alerts! that was super spectacular! :)**

**as a token of my appreciation, i wrote a long chapter for you all. At least, i think it's pretty long...**

**I'm getting the feeling that Niall is becoming a favorite as an OC. I'm not going to lie, I love writing him in scenes. He just makes me very happy.**

**i shan't bore you any longer, enjoy!**

**-TSA**

* * *

><p>Chapter 11:<p>

The sunlight peering in from the window washed over her face, which made her wrinkle her nose and squint her eyes. Stretching out a bit, she rolled over to find an empty impression beside her. She jolted upright, her head twanging from her couple drinks last night while she recalled the entire moment of falling asleep. He had been next to her… Holding up the blankets to her chest upon noticing that her shirt was falling down, she surveyed the room to see if she was alone.

She hopped out of bed, fixing her top so she was better covered while peering around the room. The curtains had been drawn apart to let the sun wake her up, a kind thought she wondered if he came up with. Sashaying over to the door, she peeked her head outside and caught a glimpse of Seto walking up the stairway. She bolted back over to the bed, crashing down on it while burying herself back under the blankets and pretending she was still asleep.

Hearing the door open made her shudder, but she disguised it by shifting around under the sheets. She figured he was on the phone with the way he silently stalked around. She heard him mutter 'goodbye' before she felt his weight on the edge of the bed. A light sigh escaped her as his fingers ran through the tangles of her raven hair, a much better way than the sun to wake up. Rolling over onto her back, she stared up at him to see tired eyes.

"How long have you been awake?" she murmured.

"Longer than you…" He turned his eyes to the window, unaware that he was now caressing her shoulder, "My secretary has informed me that your bodyguard has called at least ten times within the morning alone. She said he's on his way to my office."

Gwen jumped out of bed, "Shit! I'm in _so_ much trouble!"

"Why is that?"

She ran her fingers through her hair, "We've just been arguing lately…I'm pushing his loyalty a bit much."

Seto grinned, pleased that he was making some progress, "Oh dear…Best not keep him waiting."

"Where are my shoes?"

Seto rose to his feet and beckoned her to follow him downstairs. Snatching them up as she saw that they were at the bottom of the stairway, she fumblingly pulled them on before rushing over to the door to fling it open. He laughed a little as she furiously tied her hair up into a messy bun, but she didn't leave as quickly. She turned those grey eyes to his and suddenly he realized what Gunter had meant. They really were diamonds, especially with the way she stood in the doorway, the sunlight dancing over her face.

"We still have a lesson, Miss O'Malley."

She blushed while he walked over to her, "I'm going to be late." She sighed heavily, shaking her head, "Please, let me try to mend this with Niall."

"Of course." He took her hand, kissing her palm, "I'll see you around one o'clock then."

She smiled while nodding her head and rushing out the door. He wasn't sure how far she'd get in those heels of hers, but it was certainly amusing seeing her scurry down the street. Leaning in the crease of the doorway, he bit back a smile that could have possibly shattered his icy façade. Maybe he was making progress as a human being? Shaking his head, he made his way back to the stairway, but something else caught his attention.

She'd left her lipstick and compact mirror.

. . . .

She was already listing the things that he'd yell at her about. Number one had to be that she didn't bother bringing her phone with her. Careless? Sure, but she didn't want any interruptions in her night with Seto. It wasn't unreasonable, but it certainly wasn't helping her situation with Niall. It made her heart bleed upon the way he took hold of her before she left, his direst secret revealed in a moment of weakness. She felt terrible for forcing him to weakness.

She waited at the light, tapping her foot impatiently. As she peered over the faces of the people on the street, she smiled cheerfully. Waving frantically, she blushed as Amelda pushed his way through the small crowds, j-walking to get over to her. Her face felt hot and she was sure she was blushing rather deeply. He ambled up beside her as the light changed and she was clear to cross the street.

"I've been more careful walking around," she laughed.

Amelda nudged her with his shoulder, "That's a shame! I was rather hoping I'd have to save you again."

"But then I'd need to repay you." She linked her arm with his, "I don't think I've repaid you for our first encounter."

"That's a problem!" He gave her a wink, "Hm…what seems to be a reasonable way to repay me…?"

She giggled while pulling him along, "How about lunch? I could meet you tomorrow."

Amelda smiled as she stopped, but he noticed that her eyes were wide, "Something wrong?"

"I have to go." She didn't bother with a wave goodbye as she hustled down the street. She was praying that Niall hadn't seen Amelda, since his list of "complaints" would grow tenfold. Gliding up alongside him, she directed him back down the sidewalk so that he had less of a chance of seeing her new friend, "I was on my way back-"

"You don't need to lie to me." He gave her his leering eye that he used to when he just understood what was going on, "It seems that you overslept."

"It was a long night…" She blushed when she heard him chuckle, "We didn't do anything."

"I didn't suspect so." His fingertips brushed against hers, which made her smile, "If you were to ever do anything with him then that will be the day that you won't look me in the eye." He pressed a finger to her lips before she went to protest, "Please, don't argue. You can prove me wrong another time."

She shook her head with a faint laugh, "What's with the change of heart?"

"I'm entitled to see through my own errors." He tapped her on the nose, "I suggest you try to do the same sometime."

She bit at the insides of her mouth, "Does this mean you forgive me?"

He pulled her aside on the street, hands taking hold of her shoulders, though gently. His smile was genuine, a relief to her as she gazed up into his pure blue eyes, the color of melting snow on the ocean, "Yes, I forgive you." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, lips warm and welcoming like every other time, "Just remember that, alright?"

He was willing to leave it at that, despite the pang in his chest. Those torturous emotions still flooded through him, but he was less than inclined to let her see him break any further. With her arm linked with his, he decided that that would be enough for him at the moment. The convention was still in progress and remained priority. He could wait until they were back in Chicago before he fell to his weaknesses called affections.

. . . .

It was back to Kaiba Corp, though she was glad that she had taken the journey alone. She hardly trusted that Niall had fully forgiven her, but she chose not to push him on it. If he said he had, then she couldn't argue much. She tied her hair up again into a tighter bun while musing on her choice of attire. A silk, "scarf" halter that was royal blue and a pair of black skinny jeans with the cherry on top being her blue "python" skinned open toed platform from Gucci.

They were her new favorite pair of shoes. Her mother sent them over and the package had arrived last night. She had called her to thank her, but got her answering machine. That was a normal occurrence. Shrugging while walking inside Kaiba Corp, she made her way to the elevator, a bit too familiar with the situation. On the way up, she riffled through her purse, trying to find her compact mirror, which appeared to be nowhere in sight. Sighing with irritation, she tried recalling where she had put it last as she strolled down to Seto's office.

When she went to knock, she was met by the door opening to reveal a pretty blonde that was all too familiar looking. Gwen laughed a little while Samantha threw her arms around her in a tight hug.

"Hey there, Girlie!" Samantha gave her a toothy smile, "Is it just me or do you always look astonishing?"

Gwen blushed at the sudden flattery, "I like looking good." She tried to peer past her into Seto's office, "What are you doing here?"

"Striking deals as usual." She shrugged, "Seto and I are finalizing who's going to buy out Lionel. That poor fucker has driven his company over the edge."

Gwen's brow furrowed, "I doubt Seto will settle with just buying him out…"

"I can agree with that." Samantha sighed heavily, "He just _loves_ humiliating people." She gave a smile before sauntering down the hallway, "See you tonight!"

Gwen's eyes widened as she just then remembered the ballroom event. She smacked herself on the forehead while fumbling into Seto's office, grumbling curses under her breath. When she saw Seto, he was leaning back in his chair, sipping on what looked to be a cup of coffee. She wandered over to him, giggling as she noticed that he hadn't bothered to "dress up". He was wearing a pair of flannel, plaid pajama pants and a grey t-shirt, and he wasn't wearing shoes.

"Lounging around, are we?" she laughed.

"When you rule the world, everyone follows your clothing arrangement for the day." He looked her up and down, smirking, "Though you always seem to be the exception."

She set her purse on the floor, walking around his desk to stand in front of him, "Isn't that why I interest you?"

"There are a couple reasons." He opened his desk drawer to pull out her compact mirror and lipstick, "You left these."

"I was getting worried that I'd lost them."

He stood up, setting his cup down while stretching his arms to the ceiling. Ambling around the room to grab a binder off the coffee table by the couch, he crashed into a seat before beckoning her over. She collapsed next to him, tempted to rest her head on his shoulder, though she wondered if that would be awkward. Hell, she wasn't sure how to bring up last night and all his attempts to come onto her.

"What's my lesson today?" she yawned.

"Memorizing faces." He opened the binder, "Tonight is our largest event. Your best move is to become quickly acquainted with the people attending."

"Are most these men part of the gaming industry?" she asked.

"You've learned something." He gave a small laugh while flipping to Gunter's picture, "You obviously know Gunter Thompson. His company is in the U.S., occupying most the South."

Gwen shifted her position, tucking her legs under herself as she peered across the many pictures, "He's very kind to me."

"Beaumont Lefebvre. France. He's a phenomenal technician, though he isn't as ambitious as most people. He prefers to keep things simple. His company is changing from a gaming industry to a space research facility with the amount of technology he's developed."

She noticed the picture beside Beaumont, a striking, older gentleman with hazel eyes, "He's from England?"

"Charleston Gaspar…" Seto gave the name a thought, "He taught Lionel every trick in the business industry. Funny, how that joker ran his company into bankruptcy. Gasper's greatest disappointment…He handed his company down to Lionel. His wife died before they conceived a child and he never wished to remarry. He took Lionel under his wing, though I'm sure he regrets that now."

"That's a tad harsh…"

"Semempses Banoub. He's currently building his company from the ground up in Egypt. He's not very talkative and doesn't believe women should be in this industry-"

Gwen laughed, "You two must get along!"

He glowered at her, "As I was saying…He has an almost 'mystical' view on the game of duel monsters since it was originated in Egypt and wants to resurrect the old way it was played." He pointed to another picture, "Bryce Miller. He's from Australia and he's an arrogant little fuck."

"Is this because he's a hot guy with an accent?"

"No." He rolled his eyes, "He thinks he knows how to run a company, but he's just like Lionel. The idiot spends too much time with women. I'll give him a little credit in that he's helped bring duel monster's to his region." He showed her another picture, "Remigio Terrasini. Italy. He's never short of a good idea, but he's not the best at following through with them. He's helping fund Semempses Banoub with his growing industry. Very charitable man, but it's gotten him in trouble in the past."

Gwen decided she was just going to smile and nod through the rest of this lesson. What was the point? She wasn't going to remember half these people.

. . . .

_Ivory halls, pillars like towers above her, the washed floors and walls basked in the sunlight; sounds of harmonizing songs weaved through her ears. A familiar place, though no name of it came to mind. Bare feet gliding along paved stone floors, she wandered about the empty corridor where only the sound of singing could be heard. She strode into an open chamber, greeted by smiling handmaidens wearing crowns of flowers on their heads all making further creations with the flowers of the oasis garden in the center of the room._

_She stepped onto the lush grass, toes curling against the chill of the dewdrops while she made her way over to three young men, all adorned by gleaming armor. She wasn't sure what to do aside from nod her head to them. As she went to circle around the gloriously built chamber where the sunlight was shining down over her through a glass roof, she was thwarted by the sound of yelling and laughter._

_"Hermos!" The knight in black was chasing the knight in red, "You're not funny!"_

_Her eyes were wide as they circled around her, Hermos laughing all the while as he taunted his companion, who was drenched from head to toe with water. The black knight threw his helmet off before making a dive for Hermos that made him knock her over into the ground. He growled while Hermos danced around, though he blushed immediately while glancing at her as he lay overtop her._

_"Nautia." He scrambled to stand and pull her to her feet with a generously offered hand, "Please pardon my childish actions-"_

_"Only under one condition, Sir Knight…" She lifted a brow, unsure where the words were coming from, but she chose to just roll with it, "…you remember the formality in which to address me."_

_Hermos was giggling, "You don't know her any better than the rest of us, Critias!"_

_"I intend on keeping things that way." She shook her head, still not sure why this moment was familiar._

_Critias was blushing, "At least I'm not an ignoramus…"_

_"What the fuck is an ignoramus?"_

_"Please watch your language in here, Hermos!" the knight in blue shouted from his perch on a bench, face buried in a book._

_Critias balled his hands into fists, "It means simpleton, Idiot."_

_"Fuck you, Critias!" _

_They were back to chasing each other around, though it was Critias leading Hermos on a wild chase. She rolled her eyes while they ran around her, but this time she sidestepped Hermos as he lunged toward her in an attempt to grab the bottom of Critias' tunic. He crashed to the floor while she decided to make her way over to the last knight, whose name she had yet to discover. Upon sitting down, she was nearly hit by Critias, who leapt over the bench to leave Hermos in the dust behind him. _

_"I think that'll be enough of your behavior!" she bellowed._

_Hermos refrained from following through with his capture of Critias, sitting down beside her with a defeated look on his face, "Sorry, Priestess…"_

_"That's more like it." She glanced at the last knight, waiting for him to speak. _

_"Timaeus, what could you possibly be reading that you haven't already dissected?" Critias muttered._

_Timaeus gave him a kind smile, "I'm just rereading texts. It's a pastime of mine."_

_She smiled a little, feeling a warm surge in her breast at the company of these three knights, "What brings you to my temple?"_

_"A thousand curiosities…" Critias grimaced, "…though certainly not enough time to evaluate all of them."_

_"Start from the beginning," she cooed._

_Critias cleared his throat, however his eyes were focused on the way her bottom lip protruded, modestly covered with a nectar gloss that he knew she made herself from the lily flowers and the peach trees, "King Ironheart is willing to step down from his throne and allow his son to take over."_

_"I don't see the problem in this."_

_"It's not a problem." Critias began pacing, "It's curious that King Ironheart is ready to step down. He has plenty of years left in him!"_

_She shrugged, "Maybe he feels that his son can improve the vision he had seen for our city of Atlantis?"_

_"A vision indeed…" Critias was unpleased with her response, "I just don't trust his son." _

_"It's not your concern to read into the future. Let that be left to Temple of the Sun, for my light haired sisters read the prophecies." She set her hands on her lap, palms pressed to the silk skirt of her gown that felt weightless on her body, "Which begs the question to why you're here? This is the Temple of the Moon."_

_Critias grimaced, "I know which temple it is…" He stopped pacing and started removing his breast plate as he would have much preferred to rid of his soaked tunic, "The Daughters of the Sun have an unwavering loyalty to King Ironheart and his decisions. The Daughters of the Moon open to clearer thought, which I'm curious as to why the more practical thinkers do not read the prophecies." _

_"I don't make the rules." She smiled at him, finding that even as he tossed off his tunic to reveal a sculpted figure, she didn't blush. That made her curious about this Nautia and Critias… "I believe that the gods determine our way of life and I choose not to fight against it. I suggest you do the same, Sir Knight."_

_Timaeus stood up, closing his book while tucking it under his arm, "I believe Atlantis can prosper. We are blessed by our gods-" Critias gave a snort, "Come now, Critias. It's not like Atlantis could suddenly turn into a Pantheon of Hell. We live in the sun, Critias. I suggest you open your eyes long enough to soak in it."_

_Timaeus gave a bow of the head before strolling from the central chamber. Hermos didn't wait much longer, following after his companion to leave Critias pouting by himself._

_"It seems that Timaeus and Hermos are less than concerned with your curiosities." She rose to her feet, "Is there more of which you wish to discuss?"_

_He followed her as she strode around the oasis to settle on the stone ledge of a pond, "It's all just nonsense."_

_"Why would that be?"_

_"I'm looking too far into it." He tugged at the cloth of the tunic he was holding in his hands, "There's just a shadow hanging over the three of us and I can't displace that something sinister is at play."_

_She shrugged, staring into the water. Her reflection was a tad alarming. Her hair retained its raven color, but her eyes were grey with a white section of them at the top of the iris. It was obscure looking, a defect that she felt ruined the image of her face, "Why else have you come here, Critias?"_

_The sound of his name rolling off her tongue sent a chill down her spine. It felt familiar as if she had spoken that name in whispers in the dark corners of the temple, masked away from the moon. When she looked up at him, she saw each of his features crumble. Those blue eyes were guilt stricken, fighting against the pounding inside their chests. He knelt on one knee in the grass; hand in a fist pressed over his heart._

_"Curiosity."_

_She tartly shook her head, "Subdue your curiosity. I will have none of it."_

_"I have sworn my allegiance to you, Priestess."_

_"Timaeus and Hermos have done the same."_

_She rolled her eyes and stormed off, leaving him to scramble behind him, his metal grieves clacking together. When he managed to catch up to her and block her path, he found that there were in a dark corridor, where even the singing handmaidens could not be heard as they wove their crowns of flowers. She pressed her back to the wall, allowing herself to fall victim to the warmth of Critias' body as he allowed himself to close the distance between them._

_"I've renewed my vows, Critias." She brushed her fingertips along his lips, "Though how I desire to kiss you, to make love to you, I am bound by my temple."_

_"Lest your lips be chaste, then I shan't seduce you." He ran his fingers through her silky hair, "But I know better."_

_"You've drank the water of my chaste lips." _

_"I wish to forever drown in it." _

_He pulled her close, lips meeting hers. It was pure fire, burning with the sweetest sensations that made her crumble in his arms like a block of marble under the pressure of a chisel. She braced her hands against his strong chest, slave to the beat of his heart while he crushed her tightly between him and the wall. They were in search of something, something dangerous. She didn't know what it was that either wanted, but at the moment all that mattered was savoring a kiss that she wanted to last forever…_

Gwen jolted upright, panting heavily while frantically looking around the room. She was still in Seto's office, the binder of pictures on her lap. Setting her hand against her lips, she tried to decipher that tingling sensation that burned, though only making her wish to know who owned a kiss as such. With a shake of her head, she racked her brain to remember where Seto had went, which was when she realized that he was downstairs dabbling with the construction of another theme park, though he did not disclose to her where it would be located.

She snapped her head over to the door upon hearing it open, relieved when Seto walked inside with what looked to be a cup of coffee in his hand. He jammed his cell phone into his pocket while walking over to where she lay, as usual, on his couch.

"You sleep a lot." He lifted a brow, "Are you sick or something?"

She shook her head, "It's more like I'm being forced to sleep. Certain…" She glanced down at the page she was opened up to, "…things trigger it…"

There was a picture missing in his binder. The caption was "Paradius"…

"At the moment, Miss O'Malley, there are more pressing matters at hand." He glanced down at his watch, "The ballroom event."

Her eyes widened and she bolted up from her seat, "Shit, I haven't even decided what I'm wearing!"

That thought seemed to have already crossed Seto's mind. He set a hand on her shoulder while pointing over to the bookshelf where a dress was hanging. She covered her mouth, trying not to squeal like a silly school girl as she analyzed what she was staring at. It was a sequin, strapless gown with a beaded sweetheart neckline and a sheer midriff. The skirt was full and set to a sparkle with a high slit that could play much to her advantage.

"I wanted to see you in blue," Seto whispered.

She walked over to it, carefully running her hand along the skirt, "I don't know what to say…"

His hands set themselves against her shoulders and she shivered at the feel of his fingertips gently pressing into her skin, "Say you'll wear it."

She bit her lip, still staring at the beautiful gown. What prompted him to buy such a thing? Her brow furrowed for a moment while her thoughts drifted back to her dream. Nautia? Who was she? Were they even related or was someone trying to communicate with her? What she couldn't discern was who Timaeus, Hermos and Critias were, especially where Nautia was concerned. A lot of questions and seemingly no answers…

When she glanced over at Seto, whose face was looming closer to hers, she caught those blue eyes and a thought crossed her mind. Critias bore a resemblance to Seto, though he was certainly kinder. She wiggled her way away from him while nodding her head. Gathering the dress into her arms, she grabbed her purse and left without another word. There were too many thoughts to bother with.

Strolling down the open street, she admired the way the sunset glowed on the horizon. Her steps were slow as she was too distracted to get anywhere quickly. When she rolled around the street corner, she heard the sound of whistling from behind her. She didn't want to look over her shoulder, but curiosity got the better of her. Her eyes went wide upon seeing six thuggish young men trailing behind her. Glaring their way, she continued her stomping down the road in hopes that they weren't really following her.

But they were still whistling her way. She quickened her steps, though that was only making her heart race uncontrollably. There were a hundred curses flooding through her head and she almost tripped while crossing the street. She began to panic as the light turned red and she was forced to stop with an alleyway directly behind her. When a hand grabbed her shoulder, she was too paralyzed to scream, knowing very well what would happen to her.

She shut her eyes as she was spun around, but the hand holding her didn't stay long. Hearing the sounds of yelling and grunting, she slowly opened her eyes to find all six men lying on the ground, groaning while her tall savior closed each switchblade that had been pulled on him before tossing them into the gutter. He faced her and gave her a frail smile.

"You ran off earlier today. Wasn't sure if I didn't something wrong…"

She ran over to him, arms encompassing his waist, "I'm sorry."

"What's the hug for?" he laughed.

"For taking care of these idiots." She straightened out the wrinkles of the dress in her arms before Amelda directed her down the street, "You didn't do anything wrong. My bodyguard would have flipped if he had seen you."

"Your bodyguard sounds charming." Amelda gave her a wink while she playfully punched his shoulder, "I would love an invitation to meet him."

She shook her head with a laugh, "I think you would find yourself on the ground like those thugs."

"That might be true…" He glanced down at the dress in her arms, "That's beautiful. What might be the occasion for such a thing?"

"I'm a business woman." She giggled, "I have a thousand occasions to look stunning."

He jammed his hands into the pockets of his jacket while they came up to the hotel, "You're rather stunning all the time, though I don't figure that gets me an invite inside."

"I'm sorry, but I have company." She lingered a moment, ignoring the doorman who was agitated that she hadn't walked inside, "Though I believe I am twice indebted to you."

He stepped closer to her, hand reaching out to cup her cheek in his palm. She had enchanting eyes, "That would seem to be the case."

"You're rather good at running into me." She blushed a little upon meeting his gentle gaze, "Would lunch tomorrow be reasonable?"

"Are you going to run off this time?" He tapped her on the nose, "There's a café down by the pier. I'll meet you there around one."

He leaned a little closer to her, lips prickling hers. A small laugh was exchanged, but she turned her cheek so that his kiss melted like snow into her flushed skin. She gave him a shy nod before rushing into the hotel, musing on the tenderness of his lips, though she noticed that it left a chill down her spine. He was cold. Stomping into an elevator, she pressed a hand to her cheek while thinking about that wild sensation of Critias kissing Nautia.

It was pure fire.

Shrugging as she strolled down the hallway to her door, she opened it without much difficulty after locating her key. When she stepped inside, she saw Niall sitting at the kitchen table, reading a newspaper while drinking a glass of water. He gave her a nod of the head while she hung the dress on the back of the door.

"That's rather exquisite."

She gave a dreamy sigh, once more bringing her hand to her cheek, "I'm a little apprehensive about it. I'm not much for the color blue."

"This reminds me of the evening dress you wore during the crowning ceremony of last year's Miss America Pageant."

"You and Mister Kaiba would remember such a thing…" She shook her head, "Though he's never seen my pictures."

Niall stood up, walking up beside her with his arms behind his back, "I wouldn't say that's true. Knowing what I know, I can assume that Sir Kaiba has rummaged through files."

"What a creep." She laughed before twirling around and skipping her way into her bedroom, "You'll accompany me tonight, won't you, Niall?"

He bowed his head to her, "Of course, Little Miss."

* * *

><p><strong>soooo... thoughts? I feel like i put a lot of stuff into this chapter, so i want to know what everyone is thinking about.<strong>

**ballroom event is next chapter and will be on the way in a couple days (hopefully). **

**please review!**

**-TSA**


	12. Chapter 12

**wow! thanks for the reviews! As a token of my appreciation, I give you another long chapter. Again, i think it's long, but i might be wrong... :/**

**Disclaimer: don't own YGO or the song "Sacrifice" by Elton John (who, in my opinion, is the GOD of music). **

**Just an FYI, Seto is having conflicting thoughts in this little installation (hence why i picked this song) so I'm sorry if it sounds OOC. He's a pain in the ass to write, so i hope i haven't taken too much from him. He's still our favorite person to hate. :)**

**Enjoy!**

**-TSA**

* * *

><p>Chapter 12:<p>

What exactly could she say? That he'd defeated her? He found her one weakness, the one thing to make her even more curious about his tastes. The dress was perfect. It fit every inch of her, giving her even more of a sexy figure by accenting her hips, bosom, and legs. The sheer midriff made her a tad self-conscious, but she was willing to dismiss that for the glory of looking so stunning. She decided to leave her hair straightened, falling down to cover her back, where the dress was cut low.

She wandered out from her bedroom, shoes in hand, all the while searching for Niall. When she crossed into the main room, she saw him fiddling with a tie, obviously in debate about which one he wanted to wear. Sashaying over to him, she gave him no words while holding her shoes out to him. She leaned against the wall, holding one foot out so he could slide on her silver, platform Mary Jane stilettos. As he buckled the second one, she felt his fingertips linger a moment to caress her shin.

"You have quite lovely legs, Little Miss."

She smirked, "I wonder how Mister Kaiba seemed to know that…"

"Little Miss." Niall stood up, grabbing the plain blue tie from the table, "Should you ever need to tell me something, you know you can, right?"

She felt her ankles shake, wanting to give out on her so she could crumble back into that eleven year old self of hers upon their first meeting, "I know, Niall."

. . . .

Surrounded again, and he wondered what enjoyment he got out of being the least personable human in the room. He was amongst the company of himself. It wasn't like he had a problem with it; he just felt strange all the sudden. He stopped at the bar, figuring he'd order himself a martini, but as he stood there, he faintly laughed. Ordering a whiskey on the rocks, he began to wonder what she'd done to him. Had he softened? _It's a human sign when things go wrong._

Swishing the contents of his glass around with a flick of the wrist, he thought on how his world was slowly shifting, but he was still standing. He couldn't imagine ever falling- He was too proud for that. As he stared about the room, he found that people were melting into a blur of the same faces. There weren't any enchanting women, those that would catch his eye, though expect nothing more than just that glance. Taking a long drink of his whiskey, he tried to place what she loved so much about it.

When he ordered a vodka martini, he heard a sudden silence around the room. Turning around from the bar, he gazed up at the top staircase where all eyes were set on. And he knew why. He laughed a little, watching as she glided down each step, smiling while waving as if she were the Queen of the Universe. _When the scent of her lingers and temptation's strong._ He felt like his world had completely slipped out from underneath him, and he was glad that his pride kept him standing, though it felt like only on thin ice.

What was his purpose in "training" her? Had he even been plotting to ruin her? That seemed like such a farfetched idea. He shook himself from his stupor upon realizing that her eyes had fallen on him. He wasn't sure where it came from, but the faintest trace of a smile crossed his lips while he raised his glass in a toast to her. A cavalier gesture? Maybe so, but he knew from the way she giggled that she didn't mind.

"She's something special, isn't she?"_ Into the boundary of each married man._

Seto tried to ignore that all knowing voice that belonged to a man who was dying to say "I told you so". He took a drink from his vodka martini, "She's certainly something else…"

"Are you willing to admit that she's melted that icy façade of yours?"

_Sweet deceit comes calling and negativity lands. _He turned around to the bar, elbows resting on the counter, "It's still cold, Gunter."

"It doesn't have to be." Mister Thompson sat down beside him, declining a drink while giving him a small nudge to the shoulder, "The one lesson that the business world has taught me is that you can't let your best investment walk away from you." He patted Seto on the shoulder, figuring he didn't need to elaborate, "Best get some dancing in! There are so many pretty faces!"

Seto shrugged, "But only one enchanting face…" _Cold, cold heart, hard done by you…_

He sipped on his martini, bothered by the throbbing in his chest. How enchanting indeed…? As he found himself zoning out, he was shaken from reality upon the feel of gentle, slender fingers sliding over his shoulder then down his arm. Glancing over at her as she sat down beside him, he asked the bartender to bring her a whiskey.

"You must enjoy buying my drinks for me," she giggled.

"I enjoy knowing your taste-" He paused a moment, thinking over how those words sounded. With a shake of his head, he looked over at Gwen to see her trying not to laugh, "Taste in alcohol that is."

"You certainly don't know any other taste of mine."

He reached a hand out to her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, though all he wanted to do was feel its silky texture. _Some things look better, Baby, just passing through._ His fingers dragged along her cheekbone to fall at her lips, fingertips pressed to that protruding bottom lip, "I'd rather like to taste the rest of you."

"I know." She turned away from him to pick up her glass, "I'm not sure I feel the same, Mister Kaiba."

She blushed as he leaned closer to her, "You're afraid, aren't you?" _And it's no sacrifice- just a simple word._

"I'm not afraid." She hated when he challenged her like that. Glancing around the room, she sighed upon seeing Niall, though he was happily conversing with a few other men, "It's just…"

"Your bodyguard." Seto shrugged, hearing the tune in the room suddenly change. With a tiny smirk, he stood and held his hand out to her, "I can assume that this is now our song." _It's two hearts living in two separate worlds._

Gwen laughed a little, gratefully accepting his hand. She was twirled onto the dance floor where few people bothered to attempt the tango. It was true that this song was slowly becoming theirs and theirs alone, but maybe it just had to do with enjoying being so close to one another. Her favorite part of it all? Feeling his heart race in his chest as the song's tempo would quicken and they were forced into a battle of control, which she was often willing to lose.

_But it's no sacrifice, no sacrifice._

She couldn't help a smile at all the jealous eyes following her. For the moment that they were dancing, he was hers. Though she surely wanted this to last longer than a song, she didn't want to get too far ahead of herself. She wasn't even sure what he truly thought of her. But save that for another night, another place, another time. Now, it was just him and her in a dance that she prayed would never have to end. _It's no sacrifice at all._

Lost to her thoughts, she tripped on the last few steps of the dance, crashing against Seto as the music came to its end. She wanted to keep her face pressed to his chest, but she was afraid of what everyone else would say. Her cheeks beamed a dark shade of red when he lifted her chin up, staring down at her with those iced over eyes. Her heart broke to see that stone expression, though she knew the purpose behind it. Nodding to him, she straightened herself out before leaving in a rush.

Seto stood in the middle of the dance floor, mulling over how she had slipped away from him so quickly. _Mutual misunderstanding after the fact…_ Loosening his tie, he pushed through the people that began to crowd for the next song played. What was he thinking? What was the future in this? He'd never see her again, that was for sure. And he was less than inclined to try to make her stay. There were only a couple more events to take place, but that didn't mean she was going to spend her remaining weeks with him.

Why would he want her company anyway? _Sensitivity builds a prison in the final act._ He grabbed a champagne glass from the tray of a passing waiter, sipping on it delicately while surveying the room for where his enchantress had scurried off to. She was wearing the most elegant dress in the entire room- She couldn't be that hard to find! But indeed she was lost to the sea of familiar and unfamiliar faces-

"I didn't think I'd be the one to see you start crumbling."

Seto turned around, glaring as Lionel slinked up beside him, a glass of white wine in his hand, "Shove it, Kensington."

"She's a gem, I totally understand!" Lionel smirked while latching an arm around Seto's shoulders, "But who's the real fool here? She can just as easily play you as you intend to play her."

_We lose direction, no stone unturned. _Seto pushed himself away from Lionel, eyes darkening, "Quit acting like you know what I'm up to."

"I know one thing for certain." Lionel pointed across the room where Gwen was surrounded by several young CEOs, their conversations forcing her to smile and laugh, "You have feelings for her."

Seto wasn't about to be called out for anything. _No tears to damn you when jealousy burns._ Laughing in his typical shrewd manner that made Lionel cringe, he took a long sip from his glass of champagne, "Silly Lionel, you truly are the idiot I thought you were." He patted him on the cheek, "What appears to be is not what truly is. Keep that in mind."

Seto sauntered off, silently scolding himself for what he said. But how could he be letting them see his weakness? _Cold, cold heart, hard done by you..._ Setting his empty glass down, he thought about leaving as he felt he would do himself the favor of not being tempted further with Gwen. With a glance over his shoulder, he saw her raven hair as she sashayed around the room, ignoring the requests for a drink and a dance. The Belle of the Ball for sure… He retreated to the far side of the room, resuming what would be expected of him-

Calculating everyone's value…

_Some things look better, Baby, just passing through._

. . . .

Gwen circled around the ballroom for a seventh or eighth time, laughing upon the same fellows asking her for a dance. She was enjoying declining them as she felt she had some power over them with their constant swooning. She was in a steady search for Seto, wishing he could steal her away and ward off these stalkers of hers. The most dangerous man in the room, and she was pleased to say that she had seen him without his wall put up to block out the world.

What made her happiest was Niall's behavior. He was so cheerful, conversing with any such fellow if it meant he could drink another glass of whiskey. She giggled upon seeing him surrounded by three young women, probably telling them of his "adventures" in Ireland. When he gave her a wave, she couldn't help laughing. As she went to accept a glass of red wine, she felt a lingering presence behind her. Closing her eyes for a moment, she listened to the handmaidens' song weaving through her ears, the feel of the rays of the sun warming her skin-

"Madam O'Malley, I presume?"

She blinked a few times, trying to take in the man behind her. He had light bluish teal hair, though what struck her most were his eyes. The right iris was green while the left was gold. Aside from his abnormal coloring, she found him to be a handsome man. He was striking, though he felt familiar to her.

"You presume correctly." She gave him a bow of the head, "I don't believe I know who you are."

"If you care to join me for a dance, I would be glad to dismiss any formality."

She wasn't sure what to say, but there were no other words for when he took her hand into his. Frozen in her steps, she felt her head reel and her vision dodge in and out. She could see flashes, Nautia woven into the image, weeping while a blade hovered above her head. There was screaming and blood splattered across the ivory walls. When reality came back into the picture, she found herself spinning around in a dance while staring into those heterochromia eyes.

She felt incredibly light headed and she couldn't even find any words to speak. Deaf to everything except the music, she tried to bring herself back to life, but his hold on her was suffocating. Her breath was stopping in her chest while the world turned faster than them. She wasn't sure when it was that she toppled over, but the cold marble floors felt like a relief from the heat rising inside of her. There was yelling and crowding people who were quickly pushed away.

The arms that came around her felt foreign as she had never experienced an embrace from him. Her head rolled against his chest as he lifted her off the ground, though the sensation of not being on her feet made her head spin a bit. She whimpered, some strange, quiet sound, while he carried her up the stairway where she saw Niall standing. There was a small exchange of inaudible words, but she didn't remember much after that since she found herself lulled to sleep.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a bed that certainly wasn't the one back at the hotel. The sheets were different shades of green and the blanket she was snuggled under was the fluffy enough to swallow her. She rolled onto her side, peering over her mountain of pillows to see Niall asleep in a chair beside the bed. Suppressing a giggle, she tried her best to sit up. Her vision blurred momentarily until she had successfully pulled herself into an upright position.

Peering across the room, she heard the doorknob rattle. She faintly smiled as Seto walked inside. They stared at each other for what felt like hours until he broke their gaze to walk around to the side of the bed where Niall wasn't. He sat down on the edge, offering her the glass of water on the nightstand, which she gratefully accepted.

"How are you feeling?" Seto asked.

She shrugged, "I've got a headache, but that's it."

"You collapsed rather suddenly." _And it's no sacrifice- just a simple word. _He stared off to the right, "No one seemed to know who it was that you had walked off with."

"I knew him from somewhere…" She blushed when he gave her a curious glance, "I just can't think of where."

"You just might actually be crazy."

She punched his shoulder, scowling before drinking the water in her glass. Handing him the empty cup, she crossed her arms over her chest while rummaging through her memory. The man had asked her to dance, but she didn't even remember walking to the dance floor. There was screaming and that priestess appeared. She was murdered, but by who? "What time is it?"

"Four in the morning." Seto yawned, "I would appreciate it if you went back to sleep."

Gwen shook her head, climbing out of bed, though too fast. She wobbled a little, hand pressed to her forehead until she had steadied herself. She held the skirt of her dress up while scurrying over to the door, but Seto grabbed her around the waist.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked. _It's two hearts living in two separate worlds._

"I need to look up something-"

"What you need is sleep." He picked her up, surprised that she didn't fight against him, "You can look up whatever it is you're curious about in the morning. Until then, just go to bed."

She nestled herself under the blankets and against her mountain of pillows. She wasn't sure how long Seto spent looking at her, but it certainly didn't bother her as she dozed off rather quickly. _But it's no sacrifice, no sacrifice._

Seto rubbed the crease of his brow, trying to put his thoughts together. How could no one identify the man who she was dancing with? That's what bothered him the most. He was beginning to think that he was responsible for the amount of time she spent sleeping. That sounded completely backwards, but he was beginning to think that he was stepping into more of that hocus-pocus magic bullshit that Yugi always raved about. At the moment, he wasn't in the middle of it, which he was thankful for.

But he was inches away from being dragged into it. The more time he spent with her, the more of a chance he had to be thrown into a bad situation…Simplest solution? Get rid of Gwen. Was he willing to do that? No. And that was his damn pride getting in the way. At 4 o'clock in the morning, he was going out on a limb to admit that he wanted her, and he wasn't about to let her be the one thing he couldn't have. _It's no sacrifice at all._

"If I didn't know better, I'd assume you had feelings for my Little Miss."

Seto grimaced while glancing over at Niall, who was shifting his position in the chair he had fallen asleep in, "Don't assume that you know anything about me."

"Sir Kaiba, it would seem that you have given the world an impression of you and I have learned to accept that impression as who you are."

Seto laughed spitefully, "I let the world see what I want them to see. That doesn't mean that's who I am."

"How do you suppose so, Sir Kaiba?" Niall crossed his arms over his barrel chest, "You create this imagine so often, don't you figure you live by it?"

"No." Seto circled around closer to him, "That's what makes me the best at what I do."

"Or it just makes you incredibly lonely."

Seto turned his back to him, staring at the door. Lonely? What made him think that? He had every in the world! He was the most dangerous CEO in his industry! People feared his ruthlessness! Glancing over his shoulder at where Gwen lay sleeping, he tried to force back the defeated glint in his eyes, "Loneliness is the perk of being an eighteen year old multi-billionaire."

Niall nodded his head, "I don't pretend to understand people, Sir Kaiba." He rose to his feet, stretching his tight muscles as best he could, "I won't ask what's driven you to be so cold, as that's not my business nor is it in my interest." He made his way to the door while grabbing his jacket that he had slung over the chair, "But if you ever find yourself a shred of warmth, I ask that you kindle that flame."

"Are you leaving?"

Niall glanced down at his watch, "Let her sleep as long as she needs to. I'll be at the hotel if she wishes to call me."

As Niall left the room, Seto chased after him, too confused over the entire situation. He grabbed him before he opened the front door, "What are you telling me, Niall?"

"Take care of my Little Miss." Niall pried his fingers off his arm, one by one, "My threat still stands should you come to harm her."

"Why are you telling me this?"

Niall opened the door, a gust of the night air washing over his sharp features, "I have a path that I must follow. She'll be in danger if she knows anything of it."

Seto seized him by his collar, slamming him into the crease of the door, "Enough of your riddles. What the _fuck_ is going on?"

"You know she has dreams, right?" Seto shook his head, "She often collapses in fits of sleep. That's been happening since she was eleven. I've done my best to uncover pieces of this, though all I've come up with is that a dark shadow is now hanging above this world." Niall pulled at the chain around his neck, revealing a small fragment of a green stone, "I don't know what this is exactly, but my father sent it with me before shipping me off to America."

Seto released him, though he grabbed hold of the green stone, which kept Niall from going anywhere too soon, "You're still not making any sense."

"If I could explain everything to you, I would." Niall glanced at his watch, "But I am running on a tight schedule. If you don't mind, I'd like to be on my way."

Slowly letting him go, Seto stepped aside to watch him vanish down the dark road.

Niall threaded his arms through the sleeves of his jacket, popping the collar of his shirt up while wandering down an alleyway. He leaned against the wall, fiddling with the lighter he carried in his pocket. It was his father's, engraved with his family crest. He didn't smoke much anymore, but if he could get a good cigar then he wouldn't mind lighting up. When he heard the sound of heavy footsteps, he dug the lighter out and clicked it until a flame erupted.

In the shadows of the alley at near five o'clock in the morning, he saw the burly figure of a familiar face. Nodding his head, he accepted the cigarette offered to him, using the flame of his lighter to ignite both. They left time for silence, smoke leaking into the air around them. Niall laughed quietly, knowing that his Little Miss would be upset if she could smell the fumes on him. Watching the paper singe with each drawn in breath, he leaned off the wall and paced around in a circle.

"You quit smoking?"

Niall laughed, "Only when you're not around to give me a pack."

"How's your girl?"

"Anything but mine." He took one last puff of his cigarette before dropping it to the alley floor and crushing it under his leather shoe, "What are things looking like?"

"It won't end in your favor."

Niall stared at the man, whose face was masked by shadows. He sighed heavily, "You're still a good man, Raphael."

"What's the point in that?" Raphael took out a second cigarette, accepting the light that Niall offered him, "You've still got your chance. You have a stone."

Niall laughed, "You know why I have it!"

"Family heirloom." Raphael began his own round of pacing while digging a card out of his pocket, "In case you change your mind."

Niall was hesitant to take the card, but chose to do so and jam it into his own pocket. He was fiddling with his lighter again, a nervous habit, clicking the cap on and off. He was surprised that the hinge was still holding together, "I stand by what I say, Raphael."

Raphael grabbed him by his shoulders, trying to bite back the harsh words he wanted to say, "Are you not listening? Dartz will kill you!"

"He's been trying to do so since I acquired this stone." Niall sighed, "He wouldn't come near me when Ronan O'Malley was alive. If I'm correct, Dartz is after my Little Miss."

Raphael grunted, turning his back, "I don't know what he wants with her."

"I can find that out on my own." Niall jammed his hands in his pockets, "I know the danger I've put myself into, and, granted, I've put her in the same danger. But I'm her guardian, which I'm sure you understand."

Raphael faced him, taking from his mouth what was left of his cigarette and crushing it under his foot, "You've always been a friend, Niall. I'd hate to see this be our end."

"We've always fought for the same reasons." Niall clapped a hand on his shoulder, "That will never change."

Raphael nodded, making his way out of the alley, though he stopped before getting too far, "The next time we meet, I won't have a choice."

"I know."

Niall stood still, waiting a few moments to assure that Raphael had gotten a good head start. Friends from the past, both refugees on a boat to America…Niall knew his parents would die and Raphael had already lost them. The price one pays to hold immense power in their hands. Raphael was blessed with his Guardian Cards while Niall promised himself to a life of becoming the Perfect Guardian. Similar means, but different ways of going about things.

They would fight for the same reasons despite fighting against each other.

Reaching into his pocket, he drew out the card he had been given. The Seal of Orichalcos…A soul the price to pay to unleash its immense power… Shaking his head, he decided to head back to the hotel in hopes that he could sort through his mind better. He had a few decisions to make and they all revolved around his Little Miss.

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><p><strong>...that's a lot going on...<strong>

**OK! Niall has some secrets it sounds like...but i can't tell you all of them just yet. :)**

**Some food for thought: Niall sounds like he's leaving Gwen is Seto's hands. Gwen knows Dartz from somewhere, so who exactly is Nautia and why was she murdered? Raphael leaves Niall with a bit of a threat, so what will be their next encounter?**

**Oh. and the best thing to keep in mind: Seto's crumbling just a little bit. :) But does he love her or is it something else?**

**Please leave a review! Update will be in a few days...maybe. :/**

**-TSA**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey! thanks for the faves and alert! that was awesome!**

**well, here's a chapter. it's a tad short, but next chapter should make up for it. haha**

**OK! so I was watching the Disney Movie "Tangled", which has put me on a Disney high. I apologize for the lameness of being a Disney Princess fan as it has leaked into my writing... :/ there's a purpose, i promise. best song ever btw: "I See You" from Tangled. :) I digress.**

**enjoy!**

**-TSA**

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><p>Chapter 13:<p>

_Kneeling at an altar draped by a royal blue tapestry, she let frantic words spill from her lips while she prayed. There wasn't much sense to be made from her muttering, but she hardly cared if anyone aside from her gods heard her. With a glance over her shoulder, she slowly rose to her feet as her soldier burst past the temple guards, sword drawn to ward off anyone that dared step in his path. She opened her arms to him, fighting against tears as he enveloped her in his strong arms, blade clattering to the marble floors._

"_He's coming for you." Critias kissed her forehead, "He'll kill you. Please, if not by my pleading then by the gods', leave!"_

_Nautia pressed her palm to his cheek, wiping away a stray tear that streamed down his face, "I'm not afraid."_

_"You're not safe here!" He clutched her closer to himself while his bottom lip trembled. She'd never listen to him. She was too stubborn, "Don't do this…"_

_She pressed a sincere kiss to his lips, tasting his salty tears, his unwavering weaknesses, and his wavering strength, "Avenge me, Critias."_

_"I won't leave you." He dropped to his knees and clung to the hem of her skirt, "Until the end, I said…"_

_She lifted his chin, smiling as best she could when her heart was shattering in her chest. When he finally returned to his feet, she threw her arms around his neck, kissing him with every bit of passion she could muster. Tears cascading down her pallid cheeks, she fought to keep her hold on him even as he crushed her against himself. Shaky breaths drawn between the limited space around them, she stared up into those tortured blue eyes._

_"I love you, Critias."_

_He gave up on trying to convince her otherwise, "I love you too, Nautia."_

_"If that's the truth, then leave here." She pressed a finger to his lips to silence his protest, "Prove it to me."_

_He was fighting against everything in his nature, "You will be avenged."_

_"I expect nothing less." She smiled, though it was certainly forced, "Now, go!"_

_He retrieved his sword from the ground, rushing off in a clatter of metal to leave her alone in the silence of her temple, where not even her handmaidens were singing. _

_Nautia resumed kneeling at the altar, hands clasped in prayer. She was muttering her words faster and faster with her eyes closed until she could feel the warmth of a thousand suns burning inside of her. As her incantation completed itself, she cast a glance over her shoulder to see the man standing behind her. As he raised his blade above his head, she turned back to the blue tapestry, her vision going white with beams of light before the sword ripped through her-_

Gwen jolted upright; covering her ears as screaming replaced all other sound. Bent over in agony until the sound stopped, she threw her hair out of her face before turning her eyes to the window, where the curtains were pulled aside. Unfortunately, there wasn't a beautiful sun to dance across the floor. It was frighteningly cloudy, the skies almost as dark as night. She rolled out of bed, glancing at the clock to see that it was four o'clock in the evening.

But that didn't set her into alarm. She hobbled over to the dresser where a large mirror sat, ignoring that her dress was practically falling off of her. Rummaging through the top drawer that looked to have a bunch of old t-shirts, she dug out a faded grey one. She held it up to examine what was on the front, giggling as she saw that a Blue Eyes White Dragon was stretched across it. Yes, she knew a little bit about Duel Monsters since Niall used to play it.

Un-zippering her dress, however ignoring the difficulty of doing so, she threw the shirt on, pleased that it was gigantic on her, helping to cover up that she wasn't wearing a bra. It covered most of her butt, though with enough movement, she'd flash anyone. Deciding it was better than sleeping in her evening gown; she picked her dress up and hung it over the chair, which she remembered Niall sitting in. Before she could raise an alarm about being alone, she heard the doorknob turn.

Blushing, she watched Seto amble into the room, a bit alarmed to see her half naked. He titled his head to the side, "I see you've made yourself at home."

"I didn't want to ruin my dress." She tugged at the bottom of the shirt, wondering if she could stretch it further over her silk black underwear, "It didn't seem like this shirt had been worn in awhile…"

"There's truth in that." He gave a hollow laugh, "I'm glad it fits you."

She felt her face grow even hotter, especially with the way he stared at her, eyes glossed over with lust, "I wouldn't say fits…"

"Mokuba had it made for me when I was fifteen." Seto paced around the room, "I grew out of it."

"It's a comfy shirt." She watched him from under tired eyes while he stared out the window, "Am I allowed to wear it?"

He glanced over at her, smirking just a little bit, "I like the way it looks on you."

"The Blue Eyes White Dragon…" She paused to think over its stunning name, "You're most valuable card."

Sauntering over to him, she twirled her finger in her hair until he lifted her chin up with a gentle hand. He stared into her grey eyes, trying to place what it was that he was doing. He couldn't help thinking about Niall, knowing that her bodyguard had other plans. Gwen would be in his hands, but was he ready to take responsibility for anyone other than his brother and himself? "It's a signature, Miss O'Malley."

"It's a beautiful dragon." She traced over his cheekbone, dragging her fingers along his jaw line in pursuit of making him tremble under her touch.

"I guess I should applaud you for knowing what little you do about my dueling career."

He reached out to her, grabbing hold of the edge of the shirt and pulling her closer. His hands circled around her thighs while he tugged at her silky underwear. Breathing against her neck, he searched for any trace of her perfume, finding himself addicted to the tempting scent. This closeness, this heat, she had felt it before, but she had never been passionately loved before. Though Nautia had…She grabbed hold of his wrists and pushed him back against the bed, climbing over him and straddling him.

"Something on your mind?" he asked, a tad disappointed that his exploration had been halted.

Sitting tall, she drummed her fingers along his chest, "She had a lover…"

"Who is 'she'?"

Gwen brushed Seto's hair from his eyes, "Nautia, she was a priestess of the Temple of the Moon."

"What does this have to do with you?"

"She was in love with a knight named Critias." She paused, debating about telling him their similar appearances, "I don't know what led up to it, but she was murdered."

He set his hands behind his head, staring up at her with a look of exhaustion, "I've confirmed you're crazy."

"I don't expect you to believe me." She rolled off him, lying on her stomach, head resting on her arms, "But that doesn't explain why the fuck I keep dreaming about it."

He leaned on his side, running his fingers through her unruly hair, "I don't really care about these dreams you're having."

"This doesn't come as a surprise." She sat up while laughing, "I think you'll find that you'll start caring about these dreams when they become yours too."

He wrinkled his nose, "I highly doubt that-"

"Nautia's lover is a knight named Critias." She stood up from the bed, "And he bears a strong resemblance to you." She didn't get out the door since Seto had leapt off the bed and grabbed her by the arm, "Something wrong?"

"I'm not getting dragged into this!" He took a deep breath while she stared at him with an all knowing smile on her lips, "I don't believe in this magic shit and you are not about to try to prove me otherwise."

Gwen wiggled her wrist from his grip, reaching out and holding his face in her hands. She tried to imagine herself in Nautia's place, tragically in love despite her vows while she desperately longed to live happily. Why did she embrace death so easily? Did Critias ever avenge her? Biting on her bottom lip, she blushed when he rested his forehead against hers, eyes drooping with exhaustion, "Will you stay with me?"

Seto closed his eyes, "I have work to do."

"Oh…" She wondered if he ever considered kissing her because this moment would have been the perfect time. His hands hovered around her hips, but he was hesitant to touch her, "Work can't wait?"

He shook himself back into reality, stepping away from her and opening the door to the bedroom, "You're welcome to stay here. Mokuba is in the basement if you're looking for company."

She nodded her head, tugging at the bottom of her shirt again. He left in a rush, which made her feel like she had been wasting his time. Whether he meant to leave her with that feeling or not, she couldn't help the emptiness in her chest. What was she thinking anyway? He was incapable of any affection! There was a reason no one spoke kindly of him! So, why did she believe she was any different to him than the hundreds of CEOs that surrounded him?

Tiptoeing out of the guest's room, she peered over the stairway to see Seto leave, slamming the front door behind him. She ran around to the fourth door on the right, wandering inside in pursuit of a pair of shorts. She didn't figure she needed to keep running around in her underwear, though there was the issue of no bra. As she slinked around his bedroom, tidy enough to appear untouched, she grew more and more curious about what she could possibly find.

If someone caught her, she'd probably burn the bridge of any relationship she had with Seto, but she was willing to risk that. Whatever hope she had for "them" was dwindling upon each new moment they spent together. Was he afraid or was she? Opening up the first desk drawer, she smiled up finding a deck of Duel Monsters cards. She heard a creak in the wood, frantically glancing over her shoulder to find that no one was there.

Flipping the top card over, she gasped in awe at the image of the Blue Eyes White Dragon. It was magnificent, shimmering a silvery blue. She wondered what it looked like when summoned onto the field. Its wingspan could probably swallow any monster against it! A powerful monster in the hands of a powerful man…She flipped through the rest of it, admiring each card she found, a tad unsure what the green cards were and what the purple were.

She set the deck back into the drawer, closing it quietly before pursuing a pair of shorts. Riffling through his dresser, she debated about what she was willing to take. She was finding it frustrating that he basically didn't own a pair of gym shorts. How was that possible? Slamming the drawer shut, she began to wonder where it was that he kept his pajama pants. She was back to rummaging through things until she decided to look underneath his bed sheets.

It wouldn't be uncommon to hide away your bedtime clothes, since it wasn't exactly anyone's business what you wore to bed. When she pulled the sheets back, she was glad to find his pair of flannel pajama pants. Sliding them on, she found that they were tight around the waist, though they were incredibly long. He really was a skinny shit… She rolled the band a few times to keep the bottom from dragging on the ground before shuffling from the room, bed askew.

Wandering downstairs, she was welcomed to emptiness. There weren't any sounds, any people walking back and forth. She skipped over to a door to the left, opening it up to find a stairway leading to a brightly lit basement. It sounded like a movie was being played, so she slid into the gigantic theater room, where Mokuba was sitting with a bowl of popcorn. When he looked over at her, he paused his movie and gave her a cheery smile.

"Just roll out of bed, Sleeping Beauty?"

She ambled over to him, putting on a playful glare, "Where do you get off calling me that?"

"I know a little bit about the Disney Princesses." He gave her a wink, "You remind me of them."

She couldn't help her high pitched laughter as she squeezed beside him on the couch, "And how do I do that?"

"They're all beautiful." He gave her a nudge, "They all sing-"

"Who told you I sing?"

He blushed a little, "Seto mentioned it…"

That thought seemed to renew her spark of intrigue in Seto, "What exactly did he say?"

"It was just that he liked listening to you." Mokuba rolled his eyes, "He's not always the best at expressing himself."

She sighed dreamily, setting her chin in her palm while her elbow rested on the arm of the couch, "Which princess do you see me as?"

He gave that a thought, "I'd probably say Jasmine. She's the one with the most attitude."

"Are you saying I've got an attitude?"

"You certainly speak your mind." Mokuba smiled, "But Jasmine's the best one. I don't really care about the others."

Gwen gave him a curious stare, "Why do you know about the Disney Princesses?"

"Seto took me the Disney World when we visited the United States. I was pretty little. He was on conference calls the entire time, so I explored." He smiled, though a blush was sure rising in his cheeks, "When we got home, I had him buy all the movies so I could better understand what the park was based off…" He wrinkled his nose, "That sounds _so_ lame."

"If you have them, I'd love to watch one." She giggled, "Do you mind?"

He hopped off the couch, running over to a towering shelf to pull out a movie on the bottom, "There's a new one that came out. Samantha brought it over. I think it's pretty good."

"When was Samantha here?" Gwen asked.

Damn it, what was Samantha doing in Seto's mansion? She seemed to be with him often…

"When Seto and you went out, she babysat me. She left before you got up in the morning."

Shaking her head, she made herself comfortable on the couch while he changed the movie. She was still bothered by Samantha's apparent relationship with Seto, even though she knew he wasn't _hers_. Granted, she didn't expect any romantic happenings between them, but that didn't mean there hadn't been any in their past encounters. As the movie played, the first song ringing through the "surround sound" system, she tried to distract herself with thoughts of her tender and passionate moments that she had had with Seto.

But those weren't very reassuring.

. . . .

She wasn't sure what she was doing exactly, but she was bound and determined to discover how he felt about her. That wasn't unreasonable, was it? With the amount of time she found herself spending with him, the truth could determine the rest of her time in Japan. She didn't exactly have that many weeks left! But to be so preoccupied with him instead of learning what else there was to being a CEO was going to bite her in the ass. It didn't feel like she was out of place anymore, though that didn't mean she could run her company smoothly.

Strolling down the street at seven o'clock with an umbrella to keep her dry, she kept fidgeting with the shirt she was wearing, hoping to make it look less like she wasn't wearing a bra. She raced inside Kaiba Corp, met by the emptiness of white tile floors. She shuffled along to the elevator after setting her umbrella aside, her bare feet most likely dragging some smudge along the stainless floors. As she was brought up to Seto's office, she couldn't help trying to place how she wanted to phrase all these sudden emotions.

Standing outside the door of his office, she wanted to turn around and run. What did she expect anyway? Why couldn't she just accept what other people said about him? She laughed with a shake of her head. She wouldn't accept it until it was the obvious answer. With a knock on the door, she waited a few minutes before slipping inside his office. When she saw him seated at his desk, face hidden behind his laptop, she froze up, considering just turning around. He probably hadn't seen her anyway, right?

"I see you've raided my wardrobe…"

Guess she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon…

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><p><strong>i don't want to give away too much...but expect next chapter to be STEAMY. :) i feel that their next moment deserves it's own chapter. haha.<strong>

**guess that's all... :/ So! Who knows who's responsible for Nautia's death? hm. just a thought.**

**never forget Samantha btw. She's really the behind the scenes worker. **

**please leave a review! (it's the least i can ask of you all since i'm the one writing furiously...) Update will be in 2-3 days. **

**-TSA**


	14. Chapter 14

**is this the long awaited chapter? idk bc no one has bothered to tell me. :/**

**alright, i don't have much to say aside from THERE IS SEX IN THIS CHAPTER. Don't like it, don't read it.**

**enjoy as i hope i made it steamy enough.**

**-TSA**

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><p>Chapter 14:<p>

"You can take a seat if you want."

She blushed as he looked up from his computer with irritated eyes. She just nodded her head and scurried over to the couch, all the while scolding herself. As she set her face in her hands, she felt a light tap on her shoulder. Looking up, she was surprised to see him offer her a glass of red wine. She couldn't help laughing a little while cradling the glass in her hands as he sat down beside her, setting the bottle on the coffee table.

"What's this for?" she asked.

He shrugged, "I got a tip that you were coming over."

Mokuba had told him…How thoughtful? But she wasn't sure she was that thrilled to have been expected. Taking a sip of the wine, she smiled at the faint taste of fruit. She glanced at the bottle, "So, what kind of wine is this?"

"Merlot." He savored the taste of it in his mouth before turning those blue eyes to her, "Hints of plum or berry…" He reached out to her, fingertips pressed to her bottom lip, "Soft…" Caressing her cheek, he smirked as she leaned against his hand, "Fleshy…" He gave her a little pinch that made her scowl, "All complete within a medium body."

She half expected him to suddenly kiss her, but he just mused over his victory while she stared at him, dumbfounded. What kind of a dick move was that anyway? She took a long drink from her glass, convinced it would calm her down, but it didn't. It just made her world shift and set a wild flame inside her chest. When she finished her first drink, she laughed as he was quick to refill her glass, "Is this where we start exchanging childhood stories?"

Seto rolled his eyes, "I've got none for you if that's the case."

"So, tell me a secret." She inched over to him, sitting back on her legs, "I'm sure you've got plenty of those."

He refilled his glass, mulling that notion over in his head, "I was an orphan." He gave a hollow laugh, "When my parents died, the rest of my relatives stole what inheritance I had and dumped me at an orphanage with my brother."

"How did you become a CEO?"

At any given time, he'd have never agreed to talk about his life. But he was halfway through a second glass and he figured he could have one person know who he was, "Gozaburo Kaiba was staging a publicity stunt and seeing that he was a well off individual, I challenged him to the game that he was world renowned for." He was smirking now, taking another drink of his Merlot, "I played him in a game of chess with the stakes being that if I won, he had to adopt my brother and me."

"How old were you?"

Now that gave him plenty of room to brag… "I was ten."

Gwen's eyes were wide and she took a large sip of her drink, "I hardly think you're human, Mister Kaiba."

"There aren't many people in the corporate world that are." He was surprised to find that he had already finished his second drink. Would a third be reasonable? When he saw her refill her glass, he figured why not. He'd curse himself a thousand times over depending on where the situation went, but the alcohol was helping cloud that sharp judgment of his, "You've now heard the story of 'Orphan Seto', so what's yours?"

"Mine's not nearly as extraordinary as yours." She slid off the couch, parking herself on the floor while setting her glass on the coffee table. Tucking her knees to her chest, she smiled as best she could, "From the time I was seven, my mother had me in pageants, convinced I'd be the perfect young lady. I grew up understanding that being quiet meant I'd get a bedtime story." She choked on a laugh, grabbing her glass to drink down any further emotion, "Then I met Niall."

Seto sat down beside her, trying to get a better look at her expression, "How long has he served you?"

"Seven years." Gwen lifted her head with a smile, "He gave me an idea of what freedom meant. He was whirlwind adventurer straight from the mountains of his Irish home, who had a lot to learn about the city." She sighed, "He taught me about dreaming and wanting what was best for me. My mother was infuriated, but my father had a way of calming her down."

"But you're still a Beauty Pageant broad."

She punched his shoulder, "And you're still an asshole."

He raised his glass to her, "Please continue. I was actually interested."

"Of course, you were…" She rolled her eyes, despite choosing to keep going, "I enjoyed being in Beauty Pageants. It gave me a chance to dress up and perform." Her eyes turned to her glass as she swished the liquid around, "Niall once told me that my father was disappointed that my mother continued pushing me through them. He wanted me to pursue something else."

"Like chess?"

She turned her eyes to him, "How did you know that?"

"I came across an article about you." He shrugged, "You were quite good at it, if I'm correct?"

She set her glass aside after a long sip, feeling a tug at the world beneath her, "Is it alright if we skip the rest of this?"

"I'm glad you said it before me." He stretched his arms to the ceiling before resting his glass next to hers, "My only curiosity, is why you came here?"

Gwen scooted herself closer to him, blushing as she set her hand down and accidently bumped his. But as she drew away, he took her wrist, keeping her at bay with his tantalizing gaze. There was a burning in her chest, though it wasn't from the wine. What was she supposed to do? Her answer would have sounded ridiculous! Her cheeks flared red as she noticed how close they were, breathing in tandem, lips so close. It wouldn't take much-

She kissed him. It was quick, nothing more than a curious peck that left them both with wide eyes. She covered her mouth while shaking her head furiously. When she noticed that he looked perturbed, she began to apologize, "I'm so sorry. I don't know what the hell I was thinking! Oh my God, it was just an impulse! It's not like I really wanted to kiss you. Just a slip up! I'm sorry- I should just leave-!"

Gwen was silenced as Seto brought her face into his hands and pressed his lips to hers. She wanted to melt, though she was restraining herself from embracing him. Shoving him backward, she slapped him despite that it had been what she wanted. Face the darkest shade of red; she stared at him with wide eyes while he recovered from where she hit him.

"Damn it!" He glowered at her, "You're the one who kissed me!"

She shook her head furiously, "That doesn't mean you can kiss me!"

"You are fucking ridiculous!"

There was another kiss, a tangle of tongues until they both pushed each other away. They were breathing heavily, still trying to comprehend what was happening.

"I really think I should leave," Gwen muttered, standing up and making her way to the door.

He waited a moment, calculating the way she lingered. Part of him knew that she was curious about him- Hell, he was even curious about her! But the last thing he wanted was her to become the one thing that he let walk away. He was Seto Kaiba, for God's sake! If there was something he wanted, he damn well got it. Sauntering up behind her, he slid his hands along her stomach, feeling for her succulent breasts as he made his trek along her chest.

She was alarmed when she felt his hands against her, yanking her back into himself. Soft, defeated sounds leaked from her lips in little gasps while he gently kneaded her breasts, her head lolling onto his shoulder so he could bite at her exposed neck. Buckling in his arms when his thumb found a pert nipple, she tried to break herself away from him. Wiggling an arm loose, she elbowed him in the stomach. Distance finally created, she whirled on him to see him smirking, staring at her from under eyes heavy with desire.

"You're certainly feistier than I ever gave you credit for." He walked up to her, cornering her up against the wall. He gripped her chin and forced her eyes up to his, "Shall we test your resistance?"

She shook her head, though she fell victim to him when his lips found hers, his tongue trying to force itself into the dark caverns of her mouth. Fighting against his strong taste, she broke their kiss in an attempt to halt him. Staring into those sapphire blue eyes, she sighed heavily. What was so irresistible about him? She licked her lips, maddened by the heat his body gave off, before throwing her arms around his neck. Mouth meeting his, she moaned as he hoisted her off her feet, pushing her up against the wall.

There was truth in that she had experienced a minor tangle or two, but there was something so different in the way this all started. He wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer, no matter what she said. Hooking her legs around his waist, she rocked her hips into his, which made him growl. His erection was throbbing for freedom from all their barriers, the only relief being pressing himself between her trembling thighs. Mouths falling apart, she worked kisses along his jaw, breathing heavily in his ear.

Seto groaned, face pressed to her shoulder while she bit on his ear, tongue tracing along the lobe. He hissed as she softly moaned, whispering dirty promises that made him buck against her. When he heard her laugh, he pulled himself away, but she gave him a shove that sent him into the floor. He stared up at her while she swung her hips to no rhythm, but the sight of it made him shutter with excitement.

"Do you want me?" she giggled.

Seto nodded his head, grabbing her wrist and yanking her onto the floor. His mouth met hers before she could protest while he pulled her up onto his lap, pleased to feel her thick thighs around his waist. Hands moving under her t-shirt, he let their lips part for a moment so he could discard the bothersome article of clothing. He tossed it over his shoulder while kissing her again; afraid she'd continue to yammer about wanting to leave.

He tangled his fingers into her mess of hair, yanking out the tie holding it together, mesmerized by the way her raven locks cascaded down her shoulders and over her bare breasts. Such smooth skin, and he longed to feel it against his own. He smirked as she unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it off his shoulders to leave his tie askew around his neck, hands feeling for each twitching muscle. He sighed for a moment to listen to her soft moans as she rocked her hips down against his.

Hands slithering over her stomach, she bucked her hips against his as kneaded her plump breasts, trying to force her to cry out in pleasure. Her mouth fell from his as she tilted her head back, fighting the fire in her chest while biting her bottom lip. His lips ravaged each inch of exposed skin, and when he bit on her shoulder, she let out a tiny yelp. She pushed him backward, grabbing his wrists and locking them above his head, despite that she knew he was stronger than her.

"Mister Kaiba, I don't think this is a good idea."

He leaned his face up to hers, capturing her lips in a kiss that rendered her defenseless. She melted into his lurid embrace, though every muscle in her was fighting him. She was so tense. Welcoming his hands, she gasped when he ran his thumb over a pert nipple. She managed to halt his torture by yanking his shirt off. He rolled over top her, wanting to take a picture of her surrendered eyes. Her hair was fanned out in a halo around her while she breathed heavily, a hot and bothered mess with cheeks flushed red.

"Mister Kaiba, I'm not sure-"

He trailed kisses along her jaw, which made her whimper, "Call me Seto…"

Gwen flinched as he yanked her pants off her, tossing them onto the couch before he ravaged her neckline. She could feel his teeth scraping against untouched skin, leaving love bites until she was squirming from the mix of pleasure and pain. Meeting his gaze, she tried not to flinch at the craze of lust that stared back at her. He kissed his way down her stomach, hands sliding up along her thighs to grab the edge of her silk panties. He tugged them down her legs, leaving kisses on the insides of her thighs while working his way lower. Her muscles were so tense that she was shaking as he discarded the thin garment.

She crossed her legs, embarrassed that he was staring at her naked body. His fingers slid along the inside of her thighs, tickling the sensitive skin until she allowed him to pull them apart. He gave her a glance, as if he wanted her to guess what he was going to do next. She swallowed hard and when his fingertip circled around her entrance, she covered her mouth to muffle a tiny scream. That seemed to make his smirk come to life.

He leaned over her, finger sliding in to the second knuckle, "That's right…I want to hear you _scream_..."

She kept her hand over her mouth as a second digit entered her, his fingers scissoring inside her maiden sheath. Her mind was growing foggy as he probed at her pearl, sending vibrations of uncontrollable pleasure thought her abdomen. Meeting his gaze, she let her hand drop so she could kiss him. She allowed his tongue to slide into her mouth, tasting each corner that was stained with wine. Her hips thrust against his hand, wanting more than just his fingers inside of her, but he was taking his sweet time with her.

His mouth fell from hers while he let a third finger circle around her nether lips. When he saw her close her eyes and throw her head back, biting on a howl, he pushed a third digit into her to see if he could make her hit her release early. He wouldn't mind fucking her when she was weakened. He wanted to test her tolerance and resistance. Tongue flicking over a pert nipple, she let a tiny cry escape her lips, though it was halted by her hands covering her mouth. He watched her face contort, her muscles constrict, but she grabbed hold of his wrist to stop his probing.

"N-Not y-yet…" She breathed heavily, hoping to regain a bit of her composure, "Please…?"

Seto withdrew his fingers from her, bringing them to his lips. He licked her sweet essence from every digit; a sight that made her shiver with the way his tongue ran over each inch of skin to taste her. He ran his hand over her thigh, sliding himself down between her legs. Her eyes grew wide and her body hitched when she felt his warm, wet tongue slip inside of her. Oh, fuck. She clawed at the carpeted floors while trying to remain in control of her aching abdomen.

This so wasn't fair! She was trying to push his tongue further inside of her, but he was keeping his distance to remain in control. Her walls were trembling, wanting to collapse around his hot tongue that slithered around her sheath. What sick enjoyment was he getting out of this? She didn't want that release yet, though it was incredibly difficult to deny her body that sensation.

"S-Seto- Ah!" Her hands balled into fists as he greedily licked her folds, circling closer to her clit, "No-Not y-yet!"

He sat up, staring down at her with irritation, "Then when, Princess?" She was breathing unsteadily, so angry that he could remain so calm. Was he even aroused? Glancing down along his body, she blushed at the sight of the bulge in his pants. That certainly answered her question. He climbed over her again, licking his lips, "Think you can handle me?"

"I wouldn't expect you to take it easy on me." She grabbed hold of his tie, yanking him down to her and kissing him fiercely. His tongue slid over hers, but she didn't buckle under him. She gave him a little push backward, setting him to sitting upright while her hands slinked over his abdomen. He unbuckled his pants, guiding her hand further down, but she wasn't quick to consent. She leaned up to him, pressing her lips to his ear, "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"I don't think I need to answer that." He grimaced as her teeth pulled at his earlobe, restraining himself from throwing her backward and just fucking her senseless. He could certainly be that aggressive, but he was curious about what she could do, "You don't do well with control, do you?"

She laughed, hand sliding into his pants to fist him through his shorts. He bucked against her soft caresses, not at all pleased with her being so passive, "Oh really? I think I handle it just fine."

Grunting, he caught her with a glare, but it seemed to fuel her giddiness. She continued with her teasing while he bit on her neck, suckling the skin until she gave him a hard squeeze. The action cut him off guard and he nearly toppled backward. Her hand moved up and down his length, but the sensation wasn't enough for him.

"Quit cheating me…" he growled.

She smirked, pulling her hand away, "What was that you're bitching about?"

He grabbed her wrist, "Damn it, put it back."

"I don't think you're in a position to negotiate." Her fingertips ran over the band of his boxers, which made his face contort, stricken by his lust for her, "How badly do you need it?"

"Bad enough that I'm getting annoyed with your antics…"

Gwen giggled with delight, hand sliding into his shorts. His features contorted as she ran each finger along his length, teasing his head as she came back down. He moved along with each drawn out stroke, still not pleased with her lack of urgency. He wasn't a very patient person to begin with. His hand clasped over hers, setting her fingers tighter around him. Catching her spiteful eyes, he saw her gaze darken with shadows of lust.

"Someone's awfully needy…" she hummed.

"Sex works two ways." He wrinkled his nose when her fingers tried to loosen around him, but he wasn't about to have that, "I pleasure you and you pleasure me."

She rolled her eyes, "I don't see how that's reasonable."

"What would you know about sex anyway?"

"I have an idea about it."

She winked at him while fisting him harder, reveling in the way he hissed against her shoulder, pushing himself against her hand. She gave into his neediness. He wasn't going to verbally tell her what he wanted, but he was going to use every other piece of body language to send the message to her. She was pumping him faster, musing at the control she had over him. He was slave to her for the moment, and if she promised to pleasure him, then she could probably get anything that she wanted…

Seto groaned, hunching over a bit while his abdomen tightened. He didn't exactly want to explode in his pants, but she was jacking him off hard. Was he enjoying himself? Of course! That sweet sensation of being so high above the clouds was a dangerous guilty pleasure, and he wanted more of it. Damn, what he would give to see her on her knees, sucking him off, though he didn't figure she was willing to do that, despite that he had tasted each inch of her.

When he thought that release had hit, he was left with emptiness as she pulled her hand away, eyes dancing merrily. He collapsed backward; trying not to howl in agony at the pounding of his erection, which was painfully stiff. Now he was beginning to understand just what his ministrations did to her. He shivered as he felt her warm body slide over his, and he thought he might have just dove over the edge from the friction between her skin and his.

"Anything else you need, Mister Kaiba?"

"I'm pretty sure I told you to call me Seto."

She shrugged, tapping her fingers on his chest, "Am I supposed to always do what I'm told?"

"It would be appreciated." He smirked as she discarded his pants, "Impatient, are we?"

She rolled her eyes, "You've succeeded in turning me on. If you waste anymore time, then I might just not be interested anymore."

Gwen yelped as Seto threw her backward, but his debonair grin set her heart racing. Damn, she wanted him. Stretching her arms above her head, she gave him a wink while he tossed aside his tie before removing his shorts. Her face beamed a dark shade of red and she tried not to stare at his erect phallus. She licked her lips, savoring the next kiss that he set against her mouth.

It was pure fire, searing hot, though too desirable to escape from. Her chest burst into flames and she swore she was in the Darkest Pits of Hell, licked by the Fires of Lust. Her tongue ached for the taste of a thousand foreign spices that crashed against her mouth, though it was not enough to satisfy her hunger. When his lips fell from hers, she felt a sudden gust of wind that ripped any form of heat from her body. She was cold, shivering as he stared down at her with those sapphire blue eyes-

And damn him for his sultry gaze!

"No regrets, Gwen."

Her eyes were wide, constantly replaying that sound in her head. What was so transfixing about the way her name rolled off his tongue? It was concern laced inside his usual demanding voice and it sounded like sweet music to her ears. She smiled up at him, flicking his hair from his eyes, "No regrets, Seto."

She felt her body relax against the carpeted floors, her mind released from any further worry. He drew her legs up along his waist, fingers stroking her warm flesh. There was a last glance, a last 'No regrets' before the world stopped turning and a bond she was afraid to understand was made.

She couldn't help flinching at his first thrust inside of her. It was a tight fit and she knew if she didn't relax again then it would hurt. He drew out of her, just enough to make her whimper, before driving himself hard into her. The rhythm was painfully blissful, the way he pulled out slow and slammed back into her. Her legs were trembling for more of this sweet sin, but he was once more taking his time with her. She clawed at his arms, mewling senseless things in hopes that he'd go faster.

"S-Seto…" She arched up into him, nails biting into skin, "H-Harder…Oh God please…hn…!"

He stopped for a moment, staring down at her with the widest smirk on his lips, "You sure you want it harder?"

"Fuck!" She bit on her bottom lip as he thrust back into her, sheathing himself deep inside her, "God, I n-need it f-faster!"

"You and your needs…"

Head thrown back, she bucked her hips against his as he abided to her wishes. He was thrusting in and out of her, savoring how her nails dug in his sweaty muscles and she mewled in his ear. He was pounding harder, faster into her, though that sweet release wasn't hitting either of them. He was growing desperate for it, driving himself as deep as he could into her. She bit at his ear while trying to force down a scream. But that was becoming more and more difficult.

And he knew that.

"Scream…" he hissed, pace quickened to an animalistic thrust.

"Hn…Oh, God no…!" His head rested against the crook of her neck while she pressed herself as tightly against him as possible, "N-Need it n-now…So close-Ah!"

She wasn't sure where her mind went, but the rest of her body was shuddering. So close to something more than they both thought it to be. She was trying to force down any sound in her throat, but Seto wasn't about to let that happen.

He bit at her neck, leaving yet another territorial mark on her, "Scream for me."

Gwen let out a cry that shattered the silence of their lovemaking. Her climax washed out of her, having been bottled up for too long during his ministrations. Her nails left crescent marks in his shoulders while she yelled out to the night the one thing that was ringing through her ears, the one thing that plagued her fantasies, "Seto!"

He shuddered through his climax, hot seed spilling inside her wet sheath. His breathing was labored, the air too musky for him to drawn in any breath. Bracing himself against collapsing, he withdrew from her throbbing walls that were closing around him. He shook his head with a laugh while leaning down to kiss her brow.

"Did we really just…?"

"It was worth it."

Gwen smiled, her body shaking with exhaustion, "Will you stay with me?"

"Until the end…"

He wasn't sure where those words came from, but they felt right. He stared down into those grey eyes, the ones that paralyzed him. She had enchanted him beyond any human comprehension. Nestling his head against her chest, he closed his eyes to listen to the pounding of her heart that sang in tandem with his. She ran her fingers through his hair, too exhausted to argue or move.

"Why this, Seto?" she murmured.

He looked up at her with tired eyes, "A kiss would have never been enough for me." He sat up, staring about his empty office where the sound of her screaming his name still rung off the walls. Such a beautiful sound… "Knowing me, knowing you- I could only see it as this."

"I don't think you know me just yet." She blushed while grabbing his collared shirt and sliding it on, suddenly feeling awkward to be naked and cold, "It was just sex."

He laughed a little, "Is that all it was?" She didn't reply while staring down at the floor. Her face went red as he followed her eyes to find what it was that she was looking at. His brow furrowed, "Is that…blood?"

Gwen blushed furiously, crossing her legs, "It's nothing serious-"

"That's blood?" He was trying not to sound alarmed, "Why is there blood?"

She buried her face in her hands while muttering a response, "You popped my cherry…"

"Your cherry?" He wasn't sure what to say to her. Granted, he'd heard about such a thing, but he was more confused about… "So, you were a virgin."

"Yes…"

He breathed deeply, not so sure what to say to her other than that he was surprised, "I didn't expect that."

"Well, thanks." She scowled, "I'm not a whore."

"I never said that." He slid his shorts back on while grabbing his bottle of wine, "I just didn't expect to be your first one."

She gratefully accepted the glass he handed her, but she took a moment before sipping on it, "I didn't exactly think you'd be my first either. Funny, what life can throw at you…"

"If it's any consolation…" He wasn't sure why he was going to admit it, but he was pretty sure the wine had something to do with it. He bit at the insides of his mouth before finally speaking, "…you were my first as well."

She tried not to laugh at that, which resulted in her snorting, "That's the real shocker." She raised her glass to him, "Here's to first times that might be our lasts."

He grinned, beckoning her closer. She shook her head at first, but soon found herself crawling back over to him. Holding her face in his hands, he kissed her, tasting berry and plum at each corner of her mouth. They stared at each other, too high with wine and lust to bother worrying about the aftermath of it all. He pushed his shirt off her, hand sliding along the rise and fall of her curves.

"I wouldn't want it to be our last."

She batted her eyes at him, "Why is that?"

"I've got a few more things I'd like to try."

She was on her back again, his lean, muscular body bearing down on hers, "I was hoping you'd say that."

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><p><strong>alright... everyone's been rather quiet. hopefully i woke everyone up!<strong>

**I had fun writing this. it took some time, but i hope you all liked it! was it steamy enough? if not, then i will go all out the next time they go at it. **

**please leave a review! I'm sure you all have some thought as you go through this chapter. i'd appreciate knowing one of your thoughts...**

**still working hard! not sure when another chapter will be finished... :/**

**until next time!**

**-TSA**


	15. Chapter 15

**OMG... I am finally updating! It's been a bit busy on my end, so I apologize! **

**Thanks for the faves/alerts! That's super awesome!**

**This chapter is kinda long, and the rest of it will make up chapter 16. hope you enjoy!**

**please review!**

**-TSA**

* * *

><p>Chapter 15:<p>

He had a splitting headache. There was no doubt that he had drunk too much last night. Slowly sitting up, he took a long glance around his office, eyes adjusting to the bright sun that shone bright through the windows. Blanket lying across his waist, he shifted around a bit to find two bottles of wine sitting beside him with two empty glasses. He wrinkled his nose when he realized that the taste was still in his mouth. When he glanced over to his left, he saw the one thing he sure remembered from last night.

Running his fingers through her raven black hair, he found himself thinking about how many tangles they had experienced within the night. How they continued to find themselves on the floor was beyond him, but it was certainly amusing. The couch wasn't big enough for their creativity. He rose to his feet, snatching up his shorts, though nearly tripping in the process. Barely dressed, he wobbled over to his laptop, which he flipped open.

When he signed in, his webcam suddenly popped up and a smirking blonde was staring at him, trying very hard not to laugh. His eyes widened and he somersaulted backward out of his chair, the clatter shaking his desk, though it didn't wake Gwen. He sat up on his knees, peering over the edge of his desk to see Samantha filing her nails to keep herself from bursting into a giggle fit. He shook his head in hopes to clear the fog from his tangle.

"Good morning, Kaiba!" She glanced at her watch, "Though I must say that you are way past the normal curfew."

He glanced at the clock at the corner of his computer screen. It was one o'clock in the afternoon already! "What do you need, Samantha?"

"A little birdie stopped by to tell me something juicy!" She grabbed her mug of coffee, taking a good, long sip before continuing, "I was told that a certain O'Malley Cat was spending her time in your company."

"I'm killing that birdie-"

"Do tell me the details!" Samantha gleefully clapped, "I mean, it's not like we had bets going or anything, but Siegfried owes me 35 Euros."

Seto stood up, hands balling into fists, "You had bets going on-what?"

"Come now, Kaiba, where's your sense of humor?" She kicked her feet up on her desk, "We were all just curious to see where your ambitious endeavors would take you. Everyone seems to know that you want her company, and it would seem fit that you seduce her-"

"I didn't seduce her."

Samantha lifted a brow, hardly believing that to be true, "Regardless, we set up a few bets based on at what point you were going to fall for her."

"I haven't fallen for her!" He grimaced, wanting to cut that smirk off her face, "My personal life is not your business."

"I think this deserves an 'I told you so'."

"How is that?"

"Because I told you that business and pleasure go hand in hand."

He paused a moment, thinking over the truth of that statement. Had he really decided to mix those two things together? Running his fingers through his hair, he stared down at the computer screen where Samantha was eyeing him all-knowingly, "This pleasure is strictly business."

"That's a new one!" She twirled her fingers in her hair, "So, if you haven't fallen for her…then maybe she's fallen for you?"

He wrinkled his nose, "That's unreasonable-"

"How is that? She willingly went with you." She giggled, "Judging by your attire, she went pretty far with you."

His face was turning a slight shade of red, "That doesn't mean she fell for me. I told you, it's pleasure that is strictly business."

"Why don't you try telling her that and let me know how it goes." She yawned while finishing off her coffee, "Well, I'm not going to lecture you on how to treat a woman. I'll let you figure that out if you continue any of your escapades with her emotions. Just be warned…" She narrowed her eyes on him and he had to admit that she frightened him, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

He rolled his eyes as she clicked off her webcam, leaving him to stare at his blank screen. What would Samantha know anyway? It wasn't like she had the world's experience with men or sexual encounters. At least, he didn't think she did. Smacking himself on the forehead, he closed his eyes to try to steady his mind. Where were his thoughts running off to?

He let out an airy sigh as he felt a pair of slender fingers slide over his shoulders, her arms dropping along his chest. He shivered when she pressed a kiss against his neck, rousing those ungodly emotions inside him. Rising from his chair, he faced her to find her wearing his long sleeved, collared shirt and those flimsy silk panties, "Good morning."

"You should probably say 'good afternoon'." She pushed an unruly strand of hair out of her face, though her hands were swallowed by the cuffs of his shirt, "Who were you talking to?"

"No one." He shuffled around his office, sweeping his pants off the floor before jumping back into them, "I am very curious to know what you plan on telling your bodyguard."

Gwen shrugged, "It's not like I can hide anything from him."

"Then that's your problem, not mine." He walked over to her, hand sliding over her arm until he held her hand in his. What had he gotten himself into? He had been looking for a one-night stand, but he was knee deep in something else, and staring into those grey eyes, he couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth, "I wish I knew the right thing to say, Miss O'Malley."

She shivered at hearing him address her so formally, "I think I should leave, Mister Kaiba."

He nodded his head, mesmerized by the way she shed his collared shirt, the material shimmying off her shoulders. She crossed her arms over her chest after giving it to him, realizing that she didn't have her own clothes. Head bowed, she picked up his t-shirt and threw it on before grabbing his pajama pants. How strange a situation? As she made to scurry out of the room, he grabbed her wrist, though she refused to look at him.

"I'd rather not discuss last night, Mister Kaiba."

"What's there to discuss?" He let her go, her eyes meeting his. All he had to do was say it. He was just fine explaining the situation to Samantha, so why would she be any different? Shaking his head, he turned his back, "Goodbye, Miss O'Malley."

She nodded her head, disappointed that that was all he could say, "It would seem that way, Seto."

She left, rushing out into the hallway. Her heart was so heavy in her chest, threatening to send her to her knees. It wasn't like she had a lot of time left in Japan. Soon, it would be goodbye to everything that had spellbound her in the corporate world. Was she ready to take the responsibility on her shoulders? Or had this entire experience left her with a void in her chest about her feelings? What was her purpose here anyway?

Once outside, she kept her arms crossed over her chest while strolling down the busy streets. What she must have looked like in oversized clothes…What was the point of caring? She was Gweneth O'Malley, dubbed O'Malley Cat, a proud Irish CEO. Head held high, she cast a glare at any straying glance, eyes iced over from the tears in the corners of her eyes. Storming inside the hotel, she made her way upstairs and once she came to the door, she knocked on it as hard as she could, hands clenched in tensed fists.

When the door opened, she kept her eyes on the floor, tears trickling down her pallid cheeks. She was trembling, too afraid to look at Niall, the one person she had trusted with everything in her life. Why did he have to be right? She furiously wiped away her river of tears with her palms, but that did little to halt the waterfalls cascading from her eyes. As his arms encompassed her, she broke into horrific sobs, curling herself as close to him as possible.

"N-Niall I-I-"

"Shh…" He kissed her forehead, "I know."

She was swept into those comforting arms, the ones she used to be afraid of. He sat down on the couch with her tucked in his embrace while she continued to cry. Her fingers dug into his shirt, clinging to him with every bit of strength she could muster. But he had left her empty. When she finally calmed down, she stared up into Niall's beautiful blue eyes, the color of snow on the ocean, and forced down another sob. Composure regained, she shook her head.

"I should have known."

Niall brought his hands to her cheeks, holding her face in his hands. If now wasn't such a bad time, he'd have kissed her, "He took advantage of you letting your defenses down. It's not your fault."

"It doesn't matter now." She closed her eyes, "Only two more events…"

He kissed her on the forehead again, "May I suggest something?"

"Sure…"

"Keep your distance from him." She opened her eyes, a bit alarmed by the dark gleam in them, "Learn this lesson and don't fall for it again."

She nodded her head, curling herself back against him. Her eyes closed as he began to rock her in his arms. It was a comfort to go back to being that little eleven year old girl. When she felt sleep begin to call her name, she heard the sound of her phone going off. She jumped up and raced into her bedroom, grabbing it before it went to voicemail.

"This is Gweneth O'Malley."

"Good afternoon." There was a pause, which she spent trying to decipher where she had heard that voice, "Still don't know who it is?"

She shook her head, blushing furiously while smacking herself on the forehead, "Amelda! How did you get my number?"

"I know a few people." He gave a little laugh, "You stood me up for lunch…"

Gwen moved her phone from her ear and cursed a few times. If this was a message that she was terribly at a _real_ relationship, then she figured she'd never get married. Composing herself, she brought the phone back up to her ear and forced a smile, "I'm really sorry. My life got in the way."

"Hey, it's fine. I just wanted to know if there's a reason you're avoiding me-"

"It's not that!" She bit on her bottom lip, "Can we meet up now?"

"Why don't you meet me down by the pier? That is, if you don't mind going for a swim."

She was glad to be smiling again, "I'll be there in an hour."

"Don't stand me up this time!"

"I won't!"

There was a sweet goodbye before she raced over to one of her drawers, riffling through her clothes until she found her swimsuit. She had to pat herself on the back for remembering to bring one. Glad to be rid of Seto's clothes, she slid into her bikini. It was "blush pink", a draped halter top and scoop bottom with a fold-over waist and leather buckle trim. Gazing at herself in the mirror, she felt a bit like a Greek Goddess or a priestess from some oasis paradise.

Because that made her feel _so_ much better.

Pulling out a white flyaway cover up, she strolled out of her room to see Niall on his cell phone. It didn't sound like he was talking in English, which bothered her that she didn't know what he was saying. When he finally hung up, he gave her a glance and nodded his head, "I assume you're leaving?"

"Can I just try to forget about this?" she muttered.

He walked over to her with a shake of his head, but he didn't figure he could advise her against anything she had her mind set on, "Don't be back too late."

"You're not going to reprimand me?"

"What good would it do?" He laughed while sweeping her close in his arms and kissing her forehead, "The best learned lessons are the ones that are self taught."

She gave a playful roll of the eyes, "Thanks, Confucius…"

Sliding into a pair of sandals, she grabbed her phone and walked out into the hallway. She felt a bit strange to be running off again, but it felt better than sitting around regretting the past night. What did she expect to get out of it anyway? He was a businessman, and everything was strictly business. She could claim it was cruel, though it wouldn't do her much good. Looking back was the worst part and she strolled down the emptying streets, trying her hardest just to focus on what was ahead of her.

When she reached the pier, she was arguing with herself about the decision to meet Amelda. What kind of a way to deal with heartbreak was this? It was ludicrous. Why couldn't her life be that of a Disney Princess? Oh yeah…that's because those movies were fantasy. Walking down onto the shore, she kicked off her sandals, tossing her phone next to them while sauntering closer to the water. She was sure the people on the pier were watching her, but at this point she didn't care.

Water rushing between her toes, she closed her eyes and let the salty breeze wash over her, throwing her hair behind her. Fingers running through the tangled knots, she tried to fight against the sensation of his hands tangling in her hair as he kissed her, refusing to let her go, but for what purpose? Tears stung in the corners of her eyes and she wondered what she must have looked like to those people staring at her. With any luck, they understood her.

But he had felt so good. That warmth of being tangled in his embrace despite his refusal to give up control… She didn't care. All that mattered was feeling needed for just a moment. It hadn't been just a moment, though. It had been a night of the greatest pleasure she swore she'd ever feel. Those blue eyes staring down at her while he whispered "No regrets, Gwen…" How sweet to hear her name roll off his tongue, stained by wine and devilishly warm-

"Wish I had a camera…"

She glanced to her right, startled by Amelda, who was smiling at her. Her face gave a little blush as he handed her the ice cream cone he was holding, "What's this for?"

"I had a thought while on my way over here." He sat down on the sand, beckoning her to join him, "I was craving ice cream, which is sort of a sweet tooth for me. Then I got to thinking, what flavor would Gwen like best?" He gave her a little nudge while she munched on hers, "First, I thought- She's gotta like chocolate. Most girls do! But…you're not most girls. Then I thought about vanilla, but that's just plain boring, so it couldn't be the one you liked." Laughing, he turned his eyes to the water, "Then there was Rocky Road, Coffee, Butter Pecan…Nothing that sounded right!"

"So, how did you come to Strawberry?"

"I was running out of options!" He grinned while she rolled her eyes with a smile, "I was going through the rest of the flavors, and trust me there were a lot of them, and when I saw Strawberry, it just clicked. The question is…did I pick right?"

Gwen finished off her ice cream, giggling while licking her lips, "Impeccably."

"I'd like to think that I'd get a prize for that."

"There's no prize." She gave him a sly smile, "I accept gifts from men all the time without reward."

Amelda let out a groan, falling back on the sand while throwing his hands in the air, "That would figure!"

"Oh, don't be upset…"

"So, the pauper really can't win the princess's heart?"

She turned her eyes to the water, sighing, "Not in this fairytale…"

"Then perhaps in another one?" He sat up, inching closer to her until his face was inches from hers, "Let's make our own story."

She shook her head, "What's the point? It doesn't change anything."

Amelda watched as she tucked her knees to her chest, biting on her bottom lip. Her eyes, welling with tears, refused to meet his gaze while he continued staring at her. Someone had hurt her, and she needed more than just a shoulder to cry on. His blood began to boil at the possibility that Seto Kaiba had something to do with it. If that was truth, then he wanted to kill the bastard even more. How could he make her cry-? He shook his head while thinking on how in the end, he planned to do the same to her.

So, what exactly happened to her…?

"You wanna talk about it?" he whispered.

"It won't change anything." She stood up, walking closer to the water until she was ankle deep, "So, no. I'd rather not talk about it."

Amelda gave that a thought. Well, that was all well and fine. He didn't exactly have much time to worry about compassion. There wasn't much time left before everything was set into motion. The only wait was Raphael's stalling in ridding of Niall. What a pain in the ass. Neither Varon nor Raphael did anything with efficiency. Of course, he wasn't exactly progressing in his relationship with Gwen, but that wasn't entirely his fault.

"You up for swimming?" He tossed off his jacket and his shirt, waiting to see her reaction. When she gave him a quizzical glance, he couldn't help laughing, "Afraid to get wet, Kitty Cat?"

She narrowed her eyes on him, sliding out of her cover up to watch as it pooled onto the sand. Step after step, she wandered further out into the water, running the water up along her arms and neck, lulled by the sweet melody the ocean sang as the waves rolled against the shore. Her toes curled into the sand underneath her and she could feel fish brushing against her legs. The bottom of her long hair dragged along the water as she stood waist deep and glanced over her shoulder to see Amelda watching her.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" She gave him a wink, "Are you really just going to stand there?"

Amelda shrugged while yanking off his boots, "I'd hate to lose the view I've got!"

Her arms crossed over her chest and she turned her eyes to the blazing sun. The waves rolled around her hips, but she felt like they were drowning her. The water reminded her of the color of his eyes, glazed by passion, relentlessly beautiful. She couldn't get him out of her head. One night had made her feel a lifetime of emotions, and now she just felt dead. What was the point anyway? When she closed her eyes, she felt a pair of hands slid up along her arms until they rested on her shoulders.

"You're too pretty to frown." She glanced over her shoulder, shivering as she felt Amelda's cheek press against hers. His body felt warm against the cool ocean water while she leaned back against him, welcoming the comfort of an embrace, "What does it take to make you smile?"

She shook her head, "Can I just be miserable for awhile?"

He gently pressed a kiss behind her ear, which made her shiver. Those cold lips pressed to the sensitive skin, sending goose-bumps up and down her arms. Such a contrast to Seto… "I'd rather you not be miserable."

With an airy laugh, Gwen wiggled her way out of his arms. She sunk under the water, disappearing for what felt like hours. She swam around under the shadows of the waves. It felt like it had been years since she had explored the depths of the ocean. The last time was two years ago on a family vacation in the Caribbean. Thousands of wonders waited for her eager exploration, despite Niall's shouting for her not to swim too far. Why not? She was a very talented swimmer…

When she surfaced, she was wading deeper out in the water, staring at where Amelda stood, frantically looking for her. With a grin, she dove back under and swam his way. Grabbing hold of his ankles, she heard the sound of yelling and soon he was underneath the waves. She stood up, laughing while throwing her hair over her shoulder as he sat there, coughing up the salt water. He glowered her way, but she was quick to dash under as he made a grab for her.

The next time she surfaced, he was waiting for her. She yelped as he hoisted her out of the water and over his shoulder, rendering her defenseless. She stopped kicking and went limp, pouting as he carried her onto shore and set her down on the sand. Crossing her arms over her chest, she pretended to be angry with him while he mused over his victory.

"Do you want to play best two out of three?" he snickered.

She gave a laugh while facing him, but something caught her eye. Reaching out to him, she cradled the small stone he wore around his neck on a leather chord. The stone was cut sharply, a jade green that shone magnificently in the sun, "What's this, Amelda?"

He gave a shrug, "Nothing important."

"I've seen it before…"

She narrowed her eyes on it, absentmindedly pulling it off from around his neck. Standing up, she made her way closer to the water, swearing to herself that the stone was illuminating. As she waded out further, she heard Amelda calling for her, but before he could scramble after her, she dove under the water and swam as far out as she could until the stone became her light in the darkened waters. The air in her lungs felt infinite as she hovered just above the drop-off of the continental slope.

A memory…The waves circled around above her head, creating a whirlpool that kept her protected from the new creatures that cautiously swam her way. She was surprised that her eyes didn't burn from the salt and that she was practically breathing the oxygen inside the water. Letting out her held breath she was surprised that no bubbles suddenly formed and she wasn't scrambling for the surface. Her eyes widened and she flinched as a shark zipped past her, its tail crashing against her whirlpool barrier.

But that didn't mean she felt any safer.

Swallowing what would have been a rush of water, she stared at the stone in her hands holding it up to see if there was anything she was supposed to be looking for. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she saw below her a city in ruins at the bottom of the slope, down where sharks were circling round. Arms sweeping through the water, she drew herself overtop the buried temple until a giant creature swept overtop her.

In mind panic, she curled up into a ball while the lurking shadow loomed over her. When she finally looked up, she smiled at the sight of a manta ray somersaulting above her. It's "wings" flapped against the current while it continued its water acrobatics until it vanished into the darkness. Staring down, she avoided a gasp at the school of fish that dispersed at her feet. The city below her seemed to glow with life as the stone hovered above it.

She tried to swim closer, but there felt like a barrier was keeping her from doing so. Frustrated, she wondered what would happen if she dropped the stone. Though it wasn't hers, she was beginning to think that it would lead her to some unknown truth. Twine slipping from her fingers, she watched the stone clattered against the force field and shattered the invisible barrier. The impact nearly threw her into oblivion, but she managed to brace herself enough so that she didn't have to swim too far to get back down there.

Sinking down to the floor of the temple, she found the stone lying at her feet. She gathered it up in her palms before venturing further beyond the ivory walls, broken and cracked with sea life growing from them. When she came to an altar, she was surprised to find a tapestry lying over it, which looked like it had never been touched. As she reached out to it, the stone in her hands suddenly dimmed and all that was left was darkness.

Eyes opened wide, she burst out of the water, wobbling to stand upright in the shallow area. She collapsed backward, sitting against the waves that rocked into her shoulders. Breathing heavily, she glanced over at the shore, where Amelda came running to her side. She welcomed him sweeping her up into his arms, since she was too busy worrying about how long she had been under the water and how she was still breathing. When he set her down on the shore, she glanced down at her hands to see that she was still clutching his necklace.

"What happened?" He lifted her chin, checking her face for any cuts and bruises, "You went under for thirty minutes!"

She shook her head, smacking his hands away, "I'm fine! I'm obviously still breathing!"

"That's what I don't understand!" He sighed, easing himself into a seat on the sand, "How the hell are you alive?"

"I don't know…"

She couldn't explain it, and how was she supposed to? There was no logical explanation aside from, "I'm here and breathing!" which wasn't all that helpful… Biting on her bottom lip, she lifted the necklace from her palm and set it into his hand. Despite her curiosity about what other powers the stone may possess, she chose to ignore the idea of exploring them. Lying back in the sand, she gazed up at the sky that looked to be dimming into a beautiful sunset.

"_Someone's_ watching over you…" Amelda whispered.

She gave that a thought, though it didn't answer any of her questions, "I'm not so sure that someone is _watching over_ me. There's someone else at work."

. . . .

There were perks to loneliness. He didn't have to worry about everyone else's problems. A downside? He was more apt to discover his own problems. He had more time to mull over situations despite that he just wanted to forget most of them. Like last night, for instance. What propelled those actions from him? Was it the wine or the way she surprised him with the first kiss? Or the way she walked into the room…drowned in his clothes, flecks of rain sprinkled in her hair…

Leaning back in his chair, he muted the conference call he was on, taking out his Bluetooth from his ear. He turned around to stare out the window where the sunset hovered behind him. All he could imagine was her raving about how breathtaking the site was and what it reminded her of. Part of him wondered if there was anything that made her think of him. _I remember what you wore on the first day you came into my life and I thought, hey, you know, this could be something._

He stood up and paced around his desk, untangling the tie around his neck and tossing it onto the couch. What he would do for another embrace with her…To see her hair laid out in knots to halo her face, her muscles tensed while sweat trickled down porcelain skin, eyes ablaze from the heat of passion, though reserved for fear of revealing too much about herself… _'Cause everything you do and words you say- You know that it all takes my breath away, and now I'm left with nothing._

His thoughts soon left him and he turned around to see the door to his office open. _So maybe it's true that I can't live without you and maybe two is better than one?_ Brows knitting together, he straightened out his posture, donning the image he had created himself- A stone cold human who thoroughly enjoyed destroying other peoples' lives. When Niall closed the door behind him, he felt a surge in his chest about what might happen. He really needed to pay better attention to threats…

"I hate to think that you disregarded my generosity of letting my Little Miss settle into your hands…" Niall stopped in the middle of the office, hands jammed in the pockets of his leather jacket, "It seems I poorly judged your character, Sir Kaiba."

Seto rolled his eyes, "Don't reprimand me about the way she's twisted this story."

"Twisted?" Niall's expression grew taut, his eyes darkening to shadows that made Seto shiver, "You _dare_ put the blame on her?" There was an ugly pause, the silence enough to discern the slightest quiver in Seto's knees, "I gave you a warning, Sir Kaiba. I also gave her into your care. Is this the way your lonely world turns? If that's so…"

Seto froze as Niall drew a hand from his pocket. He was praying that he was imaging things, praying that he wasn't staring down the barrel of a- "What are you doing?"

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><p><strong>...<strong>

**Oh dear, what's gonna happen? Niall's just a little angry...**

**Then there's Gwen, figuring out more stuff as she goes along. there's more with her and Amelda in next chapter. ;)**

**not to mention the outcome of Seto and Niall's confrontation. **

**let me know what you think! leave a review please!**

**update will be in a week or two**

**-TSA**


	16. Chapter 16

**OMG...I am finally updating! I am sooo sorry that it takes so long, but being a college student is time consuming! haha. Promise to be better about this and not take over a month to post a chapter.**

**ok... Disclaimer: don't own YGO. Don't own the songs "Two is Better Than One" By Boys like Girls and Taylor Swift, "Jar of Hearts" by Christina Perry, nor "Chemicals React" by Aly and A.J. i think that's it. so yes, expect snipits of music in this chapter.**

**oh...and sexual stuff. not so sure why I felt the need to write what i did with Amelda and Gwen, but, hey, I go by my instincts. sooo...sorry if you don't like it. **

**you guys know the drill... enjoy! :)**

**-TSA**

* * *

><p>Chapter 16:<p>

"So, what, you're going to _shoot_ me?" Seto's eyes betrayed him with a glimpse of fear when he saw Niall's grip on the handle tighten, knuckles white, "Are you serious?"

"Do you doubt I'd pull the trigger?"

"I doubt you'd resort to murder…"

"Do you realize what you've done?" Niall shook his head, "To leave her like this…under the impression that _she's_ at fault. All her emotions cast out on the floor, her heart shattered into tiny pieces. Trust that I've picked up those pieces before. So what are you doing about it? Just standing and watching your work! Whether I liked it or not, she fell for you!"

Seto's eyes widened, "That's not true."

"Idiot." Niall almost laughed at that, a hollow, malevolent sound that made Seto cringe, "She's in love with you. Even a blind man can see that!"

"She couldn't of. I gave her no indication of those feelings-"

"-and in doing so made her fall for you."

"I can't _make_ anyone do anything!" Seto stomped over to him, grabbing Niall's wrist and yanking the barrel of the gun so that it pressed into his chest, "I don't have the ability to return her affections. I refuse to take blame for this, so you're only option is to shoot me." His eyes caught Niall's, and he saw the same icy glare in the Irishman's gaze, "I gave her a warning. I'm ruthless in business and in pleasure."

Niall gave him a shove, turning his back and tucking the gun into the pocket of his jacket, "Unfortunately, Mister Kaiba, there is only one bullet in this gun." He glanced over his shoulder, "I wouldn't want to waste it on a coward like you."

Once Niall had left, Seto turned around and threw everything off his desk, laptop crashing with a 'thud', empty coffee mug shattering, papers scattering, cell phone bouncing across the ground, pencils and pens rolling around… He slammed his palms against the metal desktop, chin pressed to his chest while he fought to assure himself that he had done nothing wrong. Damn himself for getting into this situation. _But there's so much time to figure out the rest of my life._

Love…What made Niall think he was capable of showing any form of affection? The notion that he had hurt Gwen, had used her, had led her to believe something that wasn't true- Or, maybe, it was true? Maybe he was kidding himself? _And you've already got me coming undone. _There was a list of things he admired her about her, but he wasn't willing to let anyone know that. That was his mistake. She didn't realize he was practically incapable of expressing emotions.

So, maybe, just maybe…He had fallen in love with her.

_And I'm thinking two is better than one_.

. . . .

She was convinced that everything around her would remind her of him. For as much time as she was spending on the beach during a starry night with Amelda, she couldn't shake the feeling of his warm skin against hers, his lips crushing hers, his sadistic enjoyment of making her squirm, his one moment of weakness when he whispered her name. She was thankful that Amelda had stopped asking about her adventure "under the sea", but it now left her with all her scrambled thoughts, all the shattered pieces of her heart.

Sitting upright, she watched as he wandered back onto the shore with more shells in his hands. For whatever reason, he was rather talented at finding whole ones. He crashed onto the sand beside her while adding his new shells to his little collection. He gave her one of his glances that asked her to tell him what was on her mind, but she wasn't going to budge. Lying back down, she traced circles in the sand with her fingers until he leaned overtop her.

"You're still really tense," he muttered.

Gwen didn't reply, but simply stared up at him. His features seemed to glow handsomely with the moon's beams shining over them. She loved the way shadows swept over his eyes and the bridge of his nose, giving him a newfound sense of mystery. There wasn't much she could say she knew about him, but there was one thing for sure that she wanted to find out.

It was the gentlest, most sincere gesture. Her lips, swollen from their encounter with Seto's, pressed gingerly into his, tasting ice that melted into droplets of water. One of his arms looped around her shoulders, pulling her up against himself while he held himself up with the other. Her hands cautiously slid over his chest, fingers digging into each uncharted piece of skin, which earned soft growls from his throat. That first kiss felt like an eternity.

"What do you want from me?" He closed his eyes, forehead pressed to hers.

Gwen took his lips with hers again, but he gave her a light shove that pressed her into the sand. Eyes soft and eager, she grabbed hold of his necklace and yanked him down onto her, nearly snapping the leather chord. Her thighs straddled his hips while he met her tantalizing kiss that aroused a sudden passion inside of him. She led his hands to the ties of her swimsuit, hardly blushing when he cast her top over his "collection" of seashells.

Every kiss was drawn out, giving enough time to decipher one another's taste, and forcing a whimper from her when he'd pull away before rendering her speechless again. His hands entwined with hers while he pressed his chest to hers, reveling in her deep heartbeat that sang brokenly. He stared down at her for a moment, watching as she closed her eyes while he pushed himself further between her thighs. Her mouth was slightly agape and her chest heaved as she hitched against him.

God, she was a beautiful sight. He could only image what she looked like completely spent from sex. As far as he could tell, Seto was the only one who had admired that. Damn, he was beginning to find new reasons to hate that guy…

He trailed kisses along her jaw, nuzzling his nose against her neck before sweeping his tongue along the valley of her breasts. Mouth hovering above a pert nipple, he swore he could hear her mumbling his name. He took the bud between his teeth, listening to her defeated moans. He brought his hand to her other breast to run his thumb over that nub of flesh. Her fingers had tangled themselves in his hair, and she was grinding her hips up against his.

"Ah…Am-Amelda-da…" She caught her breath when he sucked long and hard on her nipple, "F-Fuck-!"

He sat up for a moment, forgetting his ministrations with a laugh, "Too much for you?"

She glowered at him, shoving him backward and slinking overtop him, "It's _not enough_ for me, Amelda."

"Fuck…" He bit his bottom lip with a smirk, understanding why she had spoken that word. He loved the way she said his name, "You're so sexy when you purr, Kitty Cat."

"I'm going to need more from you if you expect to keep hearing that."

Amelda rolled over her, pinning her wrists above her head, "I'd love to tie you down…" He paused a moment to imagine her with her wrists bound to the head of a bed, sweat trickling down each inch of flawless skin, begging him to penetrate that dripping, wet entrance. He was afraid he would spend himself over that image, but it certainly was enough to keep him hard, "You strike me as the kind of BDSM girl…"

"What makes you think that?" She gasped when his lips circled around her ear, tugging at the tender lobe, "I _hate_ restraints."

He laughed coldly, which made her shiver, "The things I could do to you…"

"Tell me about those things," she ordered.

"Where do I start?" He gave her a kiss, but his tenderness left as he bit on her bottom lip until she squealed, "A little love bite wouldn't be bad? But that won't be the only one. I'll leave you covered in them- I'm a little territorial." She tried to wiggle out of his grip, but it had tightened, "I plan on keeping you tied down. Wouldn't want you to get any ideas!" He gave a sharp laugh in her ear, "After my little love bites, I'll slowly undress you in search of each blemish, each trace of a sin. I'll learn all your triggers, all the pressure points that make you moan and roll your eyes back. I'm going to want you slick and wet before I give it to ya…"

Gwen had to admit that his dirty promises sounded so appeasing…

"When I've got you as a hot and bothered mess, I'll slide down between those thick, American thighs…" Gwen's eyes widened as he let her wrists go and slipped down along her body. His fingers felt for her under her swimsuit, causing her to throw her head back, "I'll make you come from my fingers scissoring your sheath, my tongue prying at your nether lips. I'll make you clean my fingers of your essence, make you taste how decadent you are. You'll squirm while I suck on your hard nipples until you're screaming for me to fuck you senseless." He tempted undressing her further, but he wasn't quite done with his dirty promises, "I'd be willing to oblige to that…"

"Am-Amelda…" She gasped as he grinded himself down against her, "Mhm…m-more…"

"…not yet, Kitty Cat…" He slid a hand between them, slipping a digit so that it circled around her entrance, "I'll make you writhe against your restraints like an untamed tiger caught in a cage. I'll get you to look at me with those eyes of yours that hold the stare of a hungry jungle cat stalking its prey." He wasted little time in adding his fingers inside of her, three of them probing for her pearl, "Want to know how I'm going to _fuck_ you?"

Gwen wasn't sure what her response was, but it was a mix of "ItsoundssogoodOhfuckI'!" Yeah, that made a whole lot of sense. She was rocking down against his hand, but he withdrew from her as soon as her mind slipped from her. She whimpered, blushing when he stared at his fingers. He took each digit into his mouth and reveled in her taste, "Oh, God…"

He chuckled, "Oh, God is right." Gwen yelped as he turned her over onto her stomach so that her face was pressed into the sand. He pulled her hips up off the ground before locking her wrists at her sides, "I'll bend you over like the tigress, you are, that waits to be punished for its unearthly passions…and give it to you with no mercy. I'll have you howling for me to stop, but silently begging for me to come inside you. And when I do, I'll keep pounding your entrance until you collapse from exhaustion."

Gwen shuttered as he climbed over her, chest pressed to her back while he dug his erection against her. He bit at her shoulders and neck until she let out a defeated moan and fell down against the sand. She wearily rolled over to see him hovering over her. Unprepared for his kiss, she was relieved when he returned to his gentle self. Damn, he was good with words. She was embarrassed at how hot and wet she was, not to mention that she was so turned on it would be difficult to say 'no' to him.

"You alright, Pussy Cat?"

She gave him a punch to the chest, "Shut up."

"How was that for foreplay?"

"You should go fuck yourself…"

He laughed, kissing her forehead, "Contrary to everything I said, I'm actually a sweet guy-"

"-who secretly enjoys BDSM." She pushed him backward and tried to stand up, nearly collapsing onto the ground. She wobbled around until her knees stopped shaking and walked over to retrieve her top. Tying it furiously on, she grabbed her flyaway cover up and her sandals, though she was halted from leaving by Amelda sweeping her into his arms, "I think I've stayed too long."

"Hope I didn't scare ya…" He blushed while she giggled, "I got a tad carried away."

"You didn't scare me. You just intrigued me." She gave him what was intended to be a peck, but he wrapped her tightly against his chest and deepened the kiss. His tongue ran along hers and she felt like a flower wilting in winter. When he let her go, she felt a void in her chest. But it wasn't from no longer being in his embrace, "I have to go."

She ran off, cursing herself over and over. Why the fuck would she feel disloyal? It wasn't like she had a boyfriend! _And who do you think you are? _Racing to the doors of the hotel, she collapsed onto a bench outside, face buried in her hands when she dropped her sandals. It was unreal. She honestly felt like she had cheated on him. He'd never love her, he made that point clear. So why? Why did she want to love him with every aching beat of her heart? Why couldn't she just _hate_ him? _Runnin' 'round leaving scars…_

Head bowed, she crossed her hands over her chest, rubbing her cold arms. She was shivering now, tears clouding her eyes. _Collecting your jar of hearts_…It wasn't fair. Even worse, she had cheated on Niall from the beginning. Why did she insist on time after time breaking his heart? It was clear now. He had loved her from the first time they said "hello", from the first time she hid away from him behind her father's legs, from the time she came back in Seto's clothes with tears streaming down her face.

_And tearing love apart…_

Niall had loved her.

And right now, she just wanted to cry about it all.

. . . .

He was actually appalled with himself for buying a pack of cigarettes. He'd already burned through seven from his pack of twenty. That was a lot for him for not having smoked in a long time. Of course, he never liked lighting up unless he had a friend. It seemed strange to him to be alone underneath the pier with nothing but his lighter that's cap was reaching its end from his constant snapping of it open and closed. Burying another butt of a cigarette into the sand, he reached for a new one.

But he found a familiar face offering him a light.

"Convenient to find you here…" Niall lit up his cigarette before Raphael waved out the flame, "Would you care for one?"

"Sure. It might be our last one together." Raphael lit it, inhaling deeply before letting out the fumes, "I just realized that you're the one with the gun."

"I almost wasted the bullet too."

Raphael shrugged, "How's the little lady?"

"A lost soul, it would appear." Niall stared at where he had seen Gwen kiss that other fellow. He'd watched with burning eyes as their passions heightened and it made his heart shrivel and die like a flower in winter. He was never going to be able to win, "She'll never love me…"

"Women are nothing but trouble…" Raphael took another drawn out puff from his cigarette, "It's not that she'll never love you. She just doesn't know that you feel that way towards her. Without any indication, she won't act on any impulse."

Niall shook his head, "I don't want to lose her trust in me."

"How much longer are you in Japan?"

"A week or two…something like that…"

Raphael squished his cigarette into the sand with his boot, "When you get back to the U.S., give her a confession and see where it goes."

Niall wasn't sure about that idea, but the least he could do was nod his head. Tucking his pack of cigarettes into his back pocket, he turned on his heel and stalked off the beach, "I thought you wouldn't have a choice this time, Raphael?"

"You're the one with the gun, remember?" Raphael grabbed him by the shoulders and forced him to look at him, "If I don't do it, Dartz will. We've been to hell and back and I'd hate for it to come to this-"

Niall gave him a shove, reeling back and slamming his fist into his cheek, which sent him stumbling backward even further, "Would you mind relaying that message to Dartz for me? He won't lay a hand on my Little Miss, and killing me won't make her vulnerable. She has a new guardian." Boy, that tasted like vinegar, "If I die, then my hold on her will on be stronger."

"You're being irrational! With you gone, he'll kill her-"

Raphael was stopped by Niall seizing him by his collar, "That's his plan, isn't it?"

"Let me go and I'll tell you what I know." Niall's eyes softened, all too familiar with those words. Raphael straightened out his jacket before continuing, "She's a reincarnation or something of an Atlantian Priestess. She was loyal to Dartz, when he was the Prince of Atlantis, but she earned his trust so that he'd confide his darkest secrets to her. She betrayed him in the end with The Legendary Dragons because she was in love with one of them. This woman almost stopped him last time, and he's afraid if your Little Miss realizes her lineage, then everything could potentially fall apart."

"Let me guess, Dartz is trying to destroy the world?" Niall laughed cynically, "Sounds a little cliché, don't you think…?"

"This isn't a joke, Niall."

"Who's her lover?"

"That's all you're concerned about…" Raphael scoffed.

"It's actually a serious matter that has nothing to do with my personal feelings."

Raphael began walking off, calling out to him before getting too far, "It's Seto Kaiba."

That _fucking_ figured…

Wandering back down the road, he made his way to the hotel, figuring he'd catch up with his Little Miss. He didn't need to tell her that he had been keeping an eye on her, since she'd most likely get angry with him. But that didn't displace the betrayal he felt. Did she just think it was reasonable to have sexual relations with different people? He was beginning to question her thought process… Hand resting on the gun in his jacket pocket, he thought on his confrontation with Seto Kaiba.

He didn't have much a choice but to trust him.

When he came to the door to the room, he opened it slowly to find that it looked completely empty. Taking off his jacket and his shoes, he shuffled around, listening for any sound. That was when he heard the shower. He decided that sleep would be his best option, tempting to just collapse on the couch. As he wandered into his bedroom, unbuttoning his shirt, he heard the sound of little footsteps. There was a tear in the corner of his eye as he thought about the chances of him never seeing her again.

"Someone came back later than expected…"

Niall refused to turn around while her fingers tiptoed across his shoulder blades, tugging at the fabric of his shirt, "I'm technically the adult, so I can stay out as long as I want to."

He heard her giggle, which forced that tear to trickle down his cheek, "I'm eighteen now, remember?"

"I easily forget that." He wiped that tear away while facing her, alarmed to see her in just her towel. That was certainly new. And it wasn't just a shy, insecure Gwen. She was smirking, lust flushing her face while she stared up at him, "Little Miss?" _You make me feel out of my element..._

"You're always so warm." She pressed herself up against him, leaving the closeness of their bodies to hold up her towel. Pulling his hands to hold her hips, she closed her eyes while resting her head against his broad chest, "Do you only see me as Ronan O'Malley's daughter?"

His grip on her tightened, his fingers digging through her towel to prod at her skin. No! He saw her as Gwen, the object of his tiresome affections. What he would do to whisk her away with his passions at this moment, "I've been asked to only see you as such."_ Like I'm drifting out to the sea…_

Her tongue ran along her top lip as she met his gaze, "Even if I do this?"

Niall braced himself, immediately letting her go and turning his back to her. That damn girl and her antics…What, was she _twelve_ now? His face was the darkest shade of red and he had to restrain himself from taking a glimpse at her nude body, "Little Miss, this is _completely_ inappropriate!"

"Oh, bite me, Niall." Her hands worked over his shoulders, pulling his shirt off and casting it to the floor, "I've only had sex with _one_ guy…Don't you figure you could show me how it's supposed to feel?"

He rolled his eyes, grimacing at the tightening in his groin. If she really thought Seto did it better than him, then she was an idiot. Yeah, he could pleasure her beyond her comprehension, bring her higher than Cloud Nine, but that was not the point! Now, was an inconvenient time, "Little Miss, I implore you to put your towel on." _Like the tides pullin' me in deeper…_

But that was too much to ask for. Instead, she pulled on his button up, collared shirt, leaving it to drown her. It was better than nothing, but he could see her nude body with certain ways she stood. _'Just avoid looking and it won't be so bad…and you won't have a boner…' _He shook his head in hopes to regain his thoughts, "What is the meaning of this?"

"I came up with a little theory when I was showering." She buttoned up the shirt before continuing, "Now, that I'm technically a full CEO, I need something that gives me the edge in the corporate world. So, why not use seduction?" Niall wasn't too concerned with arguing with her about it since she started unbuttoning the shirt, revealing inch by inch of silky skin, "See what I mean?" _Makin' it harder to breathe!_

"I'm really tired, Little Miss…"

"Too tired to stare at me?"

Niall snapped himself out of his trance and picked up her towel, throwing it over her head, "Yes. Now, go to bed!"

She pouted for a couple seconds before waltzing up to him again, "Ya know…" She slid a hand along his chest, resting her palm against over his heart, "…I don't think you've ever called me 'Gwen'." _We cannot deny, how we feel inside._

He grabbed her wrist, his mind blurring from that one touch, "There will only be one occasion that I will ever address you as such." _We cannot deny…_

"When would that be?"

He blushed. Was now the time to tell her? That might alarm her. Shaking his head, he gave her a twirl and pushed her out his door, "Ask me when we get back home."

"But that's in a week!"

"Exactly."

He shut the door, locking it before sliding down to the floor. An opportune moment wasted, though he was beginning to think that he wouldn't regret his decision. He just needed to assure himself that once they got back to Chicago, he would tell her everything, and if he made love to her then so be it. At least he'd feel a bit better before facing his death.

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><p><strong>OH NO! is Niall gonna be alright! well, i know what going to happen to him, but you all don't... sorry! hahaha<strong>

**did anyone like my sex-ish scene with Amelda and Gwen? I was running on like two hours of sleep when i wrote it. that explains to some degree where my mind was. anyway...**

**i think the biggest issue right now is Niall's fate. Seto's obviously not getting out of this anytime soon. and Gwen is leaving in a week! and now she wants to be a serious CEO with "cruel" methods of getting what she wants...what has Seto done to her? Asshole...**

**OK! PLEASE REVIEW! i need to know if people are still reading this. because if not, i'm going to lose incentive with completing it...sorry.**

**update will be hopefully soon!**

**-TSA**


	17. Chapter 17

**WOAH! an update? It's been awhile!**

**This story is going to be finished BY GOD! It just might take some time so bear with me. college doesn't offer much time for anything. bear with me, i promise you will keep getting updates! :)**

**Oh, and I apologize for the cheesy Disney reference...but it's sorta needed in my opinion...haha. something light hearted inside a darker story. **

**Disclaimer: don't own Yugioh nor the song "I See the Light" from Tangled.**

**regardless, i hope you all enjoy!**

**-TSA**

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><p>Chapter 17:<p>

Hundreds of faces, friends and enemies alike. But this time, he wasn't so concerned with his enemies. As a matter of fact, he was in a rather frantic search. He knew every single face around him and he could pick anyone out of a crowd, so why was it that he couldn't find her? She, alone, was the most radiant woman to walk into a building. It shouldn't have been that difficult to see her! Every time he glanced at the double doors where several other people walked in, he cursed himself for caring about it.

He hadn't seen her, granted, in a week. It didn't feel right that he should contact her, since he was pulled into the development of his theme park in the United States. Ground had already been broken on the project and he couldn't take a moment to distance himself from it. Walking over to the bar, he ordered a glass of whiskey while, in the back of his mind, he prayed she'd show up next to him, steal his glass, and tell him 'Thanks for buying me a drink'. The playful banter would ensue and he would find himself listing all the things he genuinely liked about her-

As he titled his head back to take down the alcohol, his glass was snatched from him and drained by someone else. Eyes wide, he was half expecting to see Gwen, but he was utterly disappointed. Scowling, he took his empty glass back, "You're buying the next one…"

Samantha laughed, signaling the bartender to bring her a white wine spritzer and to refill his whiskey, "I'm sure you're wondering what _everyone _else is wondering about."

"And what's that supposed to be?" He brought his glass to his lips, sipping on the bitter drink, "Unlike most people here, I don't care about-"

"She left for Chicago this morning." Seto set his glass down, fingers tracing around the rim of it while Samantha eyed him, "As a matter of fact, she gave me a call."

His hands clenched into fists, "Why would _she _call _you_?"

"What's up with the _jealous_ tone?" Samantha howled with laughter, "She called me to tell me that she figured out I was trying to buy shares of her company and said that since she ended up taking out Lionel that I could have a piece of his company." She took a long sip from her glass, letting her words sink in before continuing, "I couldn't resist! She kinda…_seduced_ me."

He was glowering at her now, "What are you getting at?"

"I don't know what it is that you did, but she's got a real edge to her all of the sudden! It's sexy, to say the least. That's a real dangerous quality for a female CEO." Her pink lips stretched to a wide smirk, "Though it's not personally my style, she makes it effective!"

"You can't be serious. And, what, I'm supposed to be intimidated by her?"

Samantha shrugged, sliding her empty glass over to the bartender, "You set out to make something of her. Be proud of your work!" She declined a second drink before sashaying over to where Siegfried was standing, glancing over her shoulder, "She might just be as heartless as you now."

Seto ordered a third whiskey, mulling over every word she had said. Gweneth O'Malley, CEO of O'Malley Financial Corporation… He really had made something out of her. But looking at it now, looking at it from a perspective of someone who had experienced her in a way that made him feel territorial, he was regretting it. It didn't even have to do with her competing with him! With Samantha mentioning how "sexy" and "seductive" she was, he hated the image of her getting her way with the feelings he had had with her.

Were they even feelings anyway? Or was it just his crazy desires running away with him? Damn it, he was feeling territorial about her. The first for each other, and that was like water under the bridge to her. He knew what it was like to be left behind, but he hadn't ever fallen for someone the way he had now. Worst part of it? She didn't bother to catch him. Instead, she just let him crash against the pavement.

. . . .

She fidgeted in her airplane seat, accidently elbowing Niall, who roused from his sleep. Crossing her arms over her chest, she scowled at her watch. So many more hours before she reached home… Her face turned red when Niall's arm wrapped around her shoulders. She was beginning to hate the heat she felt next to him. She wasn't sure if this was because she was craving sex or because she actually had feelings for him. But, damn, a week without such temptations was making her angst-y.

"Everything alright, Little Miss?"

"Yeah…" She shrugged, "…just wanna be home…"

"I know. Only a few more hours."

Gwen stared out the window, the endless sky stretching out for miles and miles, "Who'd have thought Lionel would have been so easy to manipulate?"

"You certainly seem to have your methods now."

She wasn't sure if he was insulted by it or it was just really bothering him. She smirked, "Do I sense that you wish you were on the receiving end of my intentions?"

He didn't reply. Instead, his face beamed dark red and he crossed his arms over his chest. She was giggling loudly, drawing attention from the people sitting across from them. But her giggling stopped when Niall leaned down to her, his lips circling around her ear as he whispered in his husky voice. His hand slid onto her thigh, and she was finding it very difficult to restrain herself from jumping him, "You have no idea, Little Miss. I have a long list of things I'd like to do to you to teach you a lesson for teasing me."

When he leaned away from her and closed his eyes to fall asleep, Gwen was wide eyed and fuming. What an asshole! It was her fault anyway. She had gotten him into the game of innuendo their last night in the hotel when he denied her. Now, they were ridiculous. Just the feel of his hands on her- Fuck, that was arousing enough! Casting her thoughts aside, she resumed grumbling to herself while hoping to keep her mind at bay the remainder of the flight.

. . . .

She was so happy that her mother was out with her friends for dinner, so she didn't have to worry about seeing her right away. The drive to her mansion house was quiet, and she made sure Niall was sitting as far away from her as possible. Stepping foot onto her sidewalk, then up the stone walkway, and onto the marble floors of her house, she was already missing Japan. Leaving her suitcases by the stairwell, she marched up to her bedroom and burst through the doors so she could collapse onto her bed.

Buried in her fluffy pillows and warm blankets, she made herself a cocoon as Niall walked in with her things in tow. She didn't say anything, frankly she didn't want to tempt herself, and kept her face covered. As she began to doze off, her phone began blaring in her pocket. Fumbling to unwrap herself, she pressed the "talk" button and pressed the phone to her ear, "Gweneth O'Malley."

"Did you really break up with me?"

She was trying not to laugh, "I'm sorry, Mokuba, but it was for the best."

"No goodbye note? That's the heartbreaker!"

"Well, I never said I wouldn't break your heart."

"You're one tough lady, Gwen." There was a sigh, "Seto won't admit it but-"

"I hope you didn't call me to talk about him because I _will_ hang up." She waited for a few seconds while Mokuba was silent on the other end.

"Do you think you'll come back sometime?"

"I don't know, Mokuba. I've got plenty of business here in the US." She frowned, figuring he was looking like a kicked dog at this point, "But I promise that I will come back sometime. I can't let my man get stolen by some other chick!" She heard him laugh, which lifted the burden from her shoulders.

"I'll be waiting for you!"

"I'm sure you will…"

"Oh, hey, I've gotta go now. Seto's back and he'll be mad if I'm talking to you!"

She didn't have any room to reply because Mokuba had already hung up. She tossed her phone onto the floor before burying herself back into her bed. Glancing over at the door, she saw Niall still standing there, "I'm waiting for a lecture."

"For once, Little Miss, I agree wholeheartedly with your decision," he replied.

She wrinkled her nose, "Wish I felt that way about it…"

"I would hate to think that your previous engagements with Sir Kaiba will affect anything in your future love life."

He winked at her before turning on his heel and leaving her room. What a jackass… Gwen pressed her face back into her pillows, wanting to just scream a little louder, cry a raging river, confess the thousands of emotions that rattled her brain, but there weren't enough doors in the house to close so no one could hear her. She didn't even want her mother to find out about any of her adventures over in Japan. But her worst fear in the entire world at the moment was seeing Seto again.

Rolling onto her back, she grabbed the remote control on her nightstand, clicking the topmost blue button until a flat screen TV dropped from an opening in her ceiling. Possibly the greatest addition to her bedroom that her father had come up with… Dimming the lights with a second, smaller controller next to her, she skimmed through the movies she could purchase, choosing the one that she watched with Mokuba, _Tangled_. She had always been a fan of the story of Rapunzel, though she was slightly disheartened that she no longer had a knight to save her from her ivory tower…

As she highlighted the movie title and selected it, she began humming the few lines from the duet between the thief (Flynn, his name was?) and Rapunzel. _All those days watching in the windows…_ She sat up, arranging her pillows to support her back. If she was really feeling like a princess, she'd call for one of the cooks or even Niall to bring her popcorn and a soda. Damn, all those thoughts about "royalty" made her think of Mokuba and how he told her she reminded him of the Disney Princesses. _All those years outside looking in…_

Whether she liked it or not, those thoughts had hit a soft spot inside of her. Sniffling, though there weren't any tears just yet, she cast the room into darkness completely, deciding that maybe she'd go to sleep with this movie playing in the background. It might not have been late enough for sleep, but she was beginning to think that hibernating for the next few days wouldn't be her worst of ideas. Hell, she'd already made some of her worst choices in life within a span of a month in Japan.

_All that time never even knowing just how blind I've been…_

. . . .

"Who were you talking to, Mokuba?"

Seto tossed his jacket over the arm of the couch while his brother turned around from watching another of those Disney movies on the flat-screen TV set up in his office, "No one…"

"You seriously expect me to believe that?"

Mokuba bit at the insides of his mouth, "You'd get mad at me if I tell you…"

"Fine."

Seto glanced at the TV screen, musing on the stupid cartoon depiction of love. There was always a duet, sung obnoxiously early in the plot, since apparently most characters fell in love in a matter of hours, then there was a sense of betrayal (in the case of Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Frog), and let's not forget about the "happily ever after". So much bullshit wrapped into an hour and a half film, and yet his brother insisted on watching all of them.

Now, as he found himself drawn to the movie, his brow furrowed. What was up with these two people sitting in a boat, surrounded by paper lanterns, and absentmindedly admiring each other as if they were the only people in the world? And that song they were singing! Those damn lyrics…

_All those days chasing down a daydream…_

"It's the new one…Tangled," Mokuba muttered.

Seto sat down on the couch. _All those years living in the blur. _Damn it – He was thinking about her again. That betrayed gleam in her eyes when he had addressed her formally, as if none of the night's previous events had melted the ice on his heart. What was she expecting? His affection? Or better yet… _All that time never truly seeing things, the way they were-_

What had he expected from himself? To feel void of emotion as he had for the past ten years of his life? No. Instead, he felt a deep yearning for her. It felt empty in his corporation to not have her arrive every morning for a lesson on the business world. It felt even emptier to not have someone to hold in his arms during a dance. He was pathetic thanks to her. He wished he could take back every exchange of passion they'd had, so he could stop feeling guilty.

"I'd been talking to Gwen."

Seto shook his head, "I'm assuming she's back home?"

"She said she'd visit." Mokuba smiled, though it was faint, "We still have a date."

Choosing to ignore the movie now since the song was ending and he was sure that a kiss, if not something close to that, was about to occur and by that point he would want to shatter the TV screen, he walked over to his desk while taking his cell phone from his pocket. No missed calls, no emails, not even a text. Things must have been goodbye for good, though he was more disturbed that she left without saying a word to him. No warnings, just an empty seat next to him at the bar counter.

"You should try to call her," Mokuba murmured.

Seto laughed hollowly, "She wouldn't answer."

"How would you know? Maybe if you left her a voicemail about how you felt, then-!"

"You don't know anything about how I feel for her!" Seto was seething, biting down hard on his bottom lip, "I'm done with it. Bring her up again and I'll…" He had no threat, but Mokuba got the hint that he was angry, "You should go home. I'll have our driver-"

Mokuba left the room in a rush, though Seto wasn't so sure where he was going. For all he knew, his brother would go downstairs to fiddle with the duel simulators or to use the TV there to watch those stupid movies. What annoyed him most was that the one playing in his office was still on. But Seto decided not to turn it off. Instead, he sat down on his couch and grabbed the remote, starting the movie over from the beginning. Maybe if he watched the damned thing, he'd get an idea about Gwen's thought process?

Or maybe he'd just fall asleep?

Untangling his tie from its stranglehold on his neck, he kicked off his shoes while easing himself into a more comfortable position on the couch. How many times had he found her asleep there? He'd only admitted it to himself, but she was a beautiful sleeper. So elegant and tranquil, despite her "visions"… What was the crazy thing she told him? That a knight named Critias was somehow connected to him? He didn't pray often, but he was willing to invest in some faith if it meant avoiding another "magic show".

He was beginning to doze off, despite the afternoon's sun streaming through his windows. But the door to his office opened, and his secretary came in, tentatively as usually. Another thought about Gwen passed – She had a way of entering a room that made the entire world stand still.

"Mister Kaiba, there's someone on line one who wants to speak with you…"

Seto grumblingly stood, ambling over to his desk, "Send him through…" He was already too tired to speak to anyone and he wasn't sure if his head was going to hold itself up much longer. His desk looked just as comfortable as a pillow-

"Kaiba Boy!"

He flipped backwards out of his chair, phone flying out of his hands at that _obnoxious_ sing-song voice that had pierced his ears. What the hell was Pegasus calling him for? Samantha had said that he was taking time away from his company… Scrambling back into his chair, he grabbed the phone, seething that this guy had the nerve to address him like a child, "What the hell do you want?"

"I'm honestly heartbroken that you and I are still not on friendly terms-"

"Save the shit for someone else." That voice was getting more annoying, especially since Samantha spoke with the same inflection, "Why are you calling me?"

"I have an interesting piece of news for you! I had to keep Samantha from ruining my surprise!" Seto waited quietly, mulling through his mind about what it was, "Still don't know what it is?" Silence again, "I bought a majority share of your company!"

Silence. He knew that Pegasus enjoyed when he got angry, so Seto just chose to sit at his desk quietly while containing the thousands of curse-word combinations he could come up with. But he had a slightly better idea. If he could catch Samantha, then he could try to figure things out, "How the fuck did you manage that, you bastard?"

"I'd hate to give away all my secrets! How about we put your company on the line in a duel?"

"You're going to eat those words when I'm through with you…"

"Then it's a date!" Seto rolled his eyes, "I'd love to see you back on Duelist Kingdom in a week!"

Seto had no chance to reply when the phone dropped connection. All his bottled up anger was let out in a loud cry as he chucked his desk phone into the wall. Much to his dismay, there wasn't much damage. Shit just kept getting better and better…

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><p><strong>things are getting set into motion finally! get ready for the "Waking of the Dragons" Arc with all my twists!<strong>

**Seto and Gwen... should they fall back in love? Well, Niall is sort of in the way... Too much fun for me as a writer!**

**Please review! I would appreciate a word from my readers! :)**

**until next time!**

**-TSA**


	18. Chapter 18

**Woah! Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and alerts! That was fantastic! **

**Disclaimer: don't own YGO...**

**BTW: i don't really know a ton about the Miss USA pageant...so I'm kind of going off what I watched in the movie "Miss Congeniality". Bare with me. this isn't supposed to an accurate story...it is AU. haha**

**Here is another chapter! One more chapter of a precursor and then things will really kick off! **

**You know the drill! Read and enjoy!**

**-TSA**

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><p>Chapter 18:<p>

"I can't believe you are still sleeping!"

Gwen let out a groan, rolling over onto her back and pushing her tangled hair from her face. Squinting as her mother opened the blinds to her room to let the sunlight in, she pulled herself into sitting position while becoming aware that it wasn't just her mother in the room. It was four other women who were very familiar. Was it that time of year again? She tumbled out of bed, dragging her blankets with her to keep herself in her warm cocoon.

"You haven't even told me about the trip!" Her mother glared her way, shaking her head at her daughter's disheveled appearance, "Darling, will you please unravel yourself so we can get your measurements?"

Grudgingly dropping her blankets, she felt embarrassed to reveal herself. It felt like she was standing there naked and they could tell she had lost her virginity. So vulnerable in front of her mother's eyes…But that thought made her straighten out and set her hands on her hips. She wasn't going to start crumbling now.

"You look thinner, Miss O'Malley," her hair stylist, Jill, muttered, circling around her, "You've got an even curvier figure."

"Japan must have done you some justice!" Her mother clapped cheerfully, "You'll win the title for sure this year!"

Gwen sighed heavily, "Mother, I don't think want to do this…"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

She hugged herself, "Father left me in charge of his company. I'm ready now to take care of it." She bit her lip, hating to know that it was Seto who had created her, "I don't think this is me anymore."

"Oh, don't be silly! You've just been away from it for too long!"

Her mother began talking with the other women, and Gwen was catching bits and pieces of their conversation about the Miss United States Pageant. Back to being a Beauty Pageant Bitch… Deciding to put on her best smile possibly, she chimed into the conversation when they were discussing the song she'd perform for the talent portion.

"I want to sing 'I See the Light'."

They gave her a curious glance, her mother asking, "I don't think I've heard of that…"

"It's from a new Disney movie…" Gwen blushed, "It's a duet, but I can sing it as a solo or they can find someone to sing that part off stage or just play through it."

"Why don't you sing a song from a musical? You're best known for that-!"

"Can you trust my judgment?" She couldn't help the pained look in her eyes, "You've always told me to find music that I can put my heart and soul into. This silly little Disney song…"

Her mother's brows furrowed while Gwen stalked into her closet, "Gwen, is something wrong?"

"Mother, can I have a few minutes?" She gave that a moment's thought, "And can you find Niall for me?"

There was no argument, just the sound of rustling feet leaving her room while voices were still conversing about the pageant.

Gwen circled around her closet, flipping through her old dresses from those pageants, admiring the beautiful designs she got to wear. Why did he have to have such an impact on her? This would be her last time in those stupid competitions. She needed to establish herself as something more, a powerful CEO like Seto Kaiba. And if the opportunity arose, she'd take him out the equation-

She lifted a brow as she heard her cell phone vibrating on her nightstand. Walking out to retrieve it, she glanced at the number, not recognizing it. She answered it though, curiosity getting the better of her.

"This is Gweneth O'Malley, CEO of O'Malley Financial-"

"I know who this is."

Her brow furrowed, "Well, I don't know who you are, so I'd like a name."

"We've met before. I doubt you remember." She heard him chuckle, which made her cringe, "You lost consciousness."

Her mind was racing with the image of his face and his heterochromia eyes, "Give me a reason why I shouldn't hang up this phone."

"I have reason to suspect that you'd like my help. I just happen to have bought majority share of Kaiba Corporation…" Those words shifted through her ears before he continued, "…I'm willing to give half of it to you."

"What's the catch?"

"Nothing taxing. I just have a few requests."

"Name them."

"I can assume that you wouldn't mind finding a way to finish of Seto Kaiba." A moment of silence, but Gwen didn't feel like she needed to respond to that, "Then there's Samantha Crawford. I just need a bit of information on her part. And lastly…" There went that silence again, "I have a message for your bodyguard. He'll understand its contents."

Gwen's brow knitted together while she thought this over, "And I get half of Seto's company for just those things?"

"I am a man of my word."

"How do you expect me to 'finish' Seto Kaiba?"

"Do you have any dueling capabilities?"

"That's just not my style."

"Then I will send you assistance." Gwen bit at her bottom lip, wondering what the hell she was getting herself into, "Are you going to accept my offer or not?"

She meandered back into her closet, rummaging through her dresses again until she found the blue one Seto had bought her, but just looking at set a fire ablaze in her chest, "You've got yourself a deal."

The man hung up, leaving Gwen to stare at her phone in wonder. No confirmation, no guarantee that she'd have a piece of Kaiba Corporation or when she'd be expected to follow his meaningless demands. What a strange situation? Sitting on the white carpet floors, she stared around the vastness of her closet, wanting nothing more than to set that damn dress on fire. It was beautiful no doubt, but she wanted to torch every memory she had of her time in Japan.

"You asked for me, Little Miss?"

Gwen didn't look over her shoulder as Niall knelt behind her, hands setting on her shoulders, "My mother is already preparing for The Miss United States Pageant."

"Are you not prepared to proceed with it this year?"

"I don't know." She turned around, sitting back on her legs and staring up into his eyes, the color of snow on the ocean, such a gorgeous, icy color with a sensitive, understanding gleam in them, "Niall, you told me that there was something you wouldn't tell me until we got home." She glared at him as he lifted his brows in mock forgetfulness, "I want to know what it was."

"It won't solve anything-"

"Tell me."

He sighed, cupping her face in his hands, "Ask me later."

"What does later mean?"

He kissed her forehead before standing, "Ask me when your mother is done preparing you for the pageant."

She wasn't sure why that was the deal, but she was thinking that it had to do with getting her to cooperate longer and make her mother's job easier. Grumbling to herself, she stormed out of her bedroom to find her mother and start the sizing process. It was going to be a long day, but if it meant finally pushing Niall beyond his limits, then she was prepared for it.

. . . .

"We're taking a trip? To where?" Mokuba jumped up and down on Seto's couch in his office while his brother was typing on his computer, "Is it a vacation or a work trip?"

"Depends on your perspective…"

Mokuba hopped off the couch and walked over to his brother, staring at him to see if he could decipher his cryptic words, "Where are we going, Seto?"

"To Duelist Island."

Mokuba lifted a brow, "Why? Did Samantha invite us?"

"No, her father did."

"I thought he's on leave-"

"Guess we'll see what the crackpot wants." Seto packed the rest of his needed electronics into his briefcase before gesturing for Mokuba to follow him out of his office, "After this visit we'll be staying in the U.S. while I complete the plans for my Kaiba Land park over there."

"Are we going to see Gwen?"

The question stung for sure. Seto drew in a tight breath, musing on that damn perfume she used to always wear. Plumeria it was called. Scratching the back of his neck, he tried to ignore the throbbing in his chest of that sensation of her skin, slick with sweat, against his and the taste of wine in her mouth. A melody of love in its own sense…There wasn't anything truly beautiful about it. Just mindless aggression in the search for carnage…

But the next time, if there could ever be a next time, he'd truly make love to her. Explore every inch of her with soft caresses and tantalizing kisses until she could no longer breath, overwhelmed by the gentleness of him. He could be that way if he wanted, though this was all speculation. It wasn't like he would ever have that experience again with her. But maybe, just maybe, that would be the way to set things right?

"Do you ever think about her, Seto?"

He refused to look at his younger brother, figuring he'd give into those big eyes, "Why do you want to know?"

"I guess I just thought that you loved her or something…" Mokuba shrugged, "I thought that since you spent so much time with her, and Samantha said that the way you two danced-"

"Samantha knows nothing about my personal life."

Mokuba sighed, "I guess that's why I'm asking…"

Seto kept moving swiftly down the hallway, not bothering to look his brother in the eyes while he thought over his answer. It was impossible to think that he had to explain himself to Mokuba. The only person who needed an explanation was _her_. But, if he talked it out, maybe it wouldn't sound so stupid when he found himself confessing to her, "I hate her."

Mokuba's eyes were wide as he grabbed his brother's arm and forced him to stop walking, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means exactly what I said." He couldn't help a laugh at the mortified face of his younger brother, "I hate that she's as good at my trade as I am and I hate how in control she is of her own company." He continued walking to the docking bay where his jet waited them, "I miss not having something to teach her, that's all."

"You don't love her?"

"It's not that easy, Mokuba."

"But it should be! She's the only person who makes you look weak!"

Seto scowled, "That's an insult, by the way, and where did you come up with that?"

"Samantha…" He waved his arms frantically to stop his brother from talking, "When she fell asleep with you! After your date!"

"You weren't in the room-"

"You left the door open!"

Damn, he was just getting caught in his own traps, "Mokuba, if I could explain it to you, I would. But I don't understand it myself. There are a lot more hard feelings than you probably realize." He closed his eyes for a moment, the scent of her tickling his nostrils, "Right now, I'm just going to hate her."

"That's not fair to her!"

"It's not fair that she left without a goodbye…"

Seto was glad that Mokuba didn't press him further. He had Pegasus to worry about and he needed to contact Samantha. It didn't make sense that he was bought out without any notice. _'She's a gem, I totally understand! But who's the real fool here? She can just as easily play you as you intend to play her.'_ Damn Lionel Kensington… But how could she have done that? Unless, he was truly unaware of everything that went on that one night-

She couldn't have! Someone else had been planning this for awhile…

. . . .

Standing on a platform, surrounded by mirrors, Gwen tried not to fidget as the seamstress stuck pins into her evening gown to shape it better to her figure. It was a halter gown with a beaded bodice of flowers and butterflies, a sheer midriff leading to a dropped waistline. The skirt swept into a long train with side slit. It was mostly pink, though some of the beads were purple and the skirt was mixed with a crème color and touches of black.

She couldn't believe it, but she had dropped to a size four.

Not to mention, this Tony Bowls designer was rather extraordinary and she was glad to have heeded Samantha's advice.

Ignoring the sting of a needle prodding her skin, she heard her cell phone go off. Eyes wide, she gestured for her mother to give it to her and she flipped it open with haste, "Gweneth O'Malley."

"I asked a few favors of you. Would you be inclined to complete one of them?"

She pretended it was just another CEO, waving her mother off as she tried to ask who it was, "Where would you like me to meet you?"

"Duelist Kingdom…" There was a pause, which gave Gwen enough time to wiggle out of her gown and retrieve her silk robe to cover herself, "I will send a jet to come get you."

"And when will this be?"

"Tomorrow morning, if it isn't too much trouble?"

She glanced over her shoulder, glad that her mother and the others were preoccupied with their own business, "Fine. But which of these tasks am I completing?"

"Finishing off Seto Kaiba, if it's not too much of an imposition?"

"I think you know the answer to that."

"Splendid. My jet will arrive at nine in the morning. Oh, and one more thing…" Gwen waited a moment, wondering if there were further directions, "…you won't be meeting me just yet."

The connection was gone and Gwen was left listening to the beeping of cell phone. Tucking it into her robe pocket, she joined her mother and the other women who were arguing over what she would wear for the talent portion. She had to control her laughter as they discussed different dresses and styles; whether or not she should resemble the Disney princess of if she should have her own look. Waiting for the right moment, Gwen cleared her throat to beckon their attention.

"I want Niall to choose my dress." Despite their alarmed gazes, Gwen continued to smile.

"But…" Her mother's bottom lip seemed to quiver, "…why?"

"He's seen me through the good and the bad. I just wanted to know that even he has a piece in this."

"Darling, he's a bodyguard."

"I know." Gwen twirled around in a circle, musing on his voice that sung such beautiful folksongs from his home, "He means a lot to me…"

She swore that her mother smiled, though it was certainly hidden from the other women, "Well, then I will ask him to assist me."

The rest of her day consisted of discussing (more like arguing) over her swimsuit choice. What color, what style, what the other contestants were wearing, what worked in the past, blah, blah, blah…She was glad that her bed was only just outside of her closet, but an escape seemed impossible. She was becoming increasingly more comfortable with being clothed one minute and naked the next, though she was waiting for someone to just randomly ask her if she had an sexual endeavors over in Japan. Why she was assuming that the words "NOT A VIRGIN" were written across her ass was beyond her…

The only thing near her backside was her tattoo, which was becoming more of a hassle than usual since there didn't seem to be a swimsuit bottom that covered it enough. Of course, she had gotten it for the reason of rebelling against these pageants. She was hoping that her mother got the hint that she wasn't going to parade around a stage in practically nothing for the amusement of the men watching, but it only ended with her swimsuit choice involving covering the thing up.

Soon, she was left to her own devices as her mother and the others wanted to clean themselves up before they went out to dinner tonight. This time, Gwen was expected to go with them. To her credit, she'd managed to get them to allow Niall to join since he was the only person who would keep her sane amidst their gossiping.

Staring at herself in the mirror, she examined the blue bikini she was in. Colors for the competition were chosen for each year and then a list of appropriate styles. But the top made her feel like she was wearing her "bombshell" bra from Victoria's Secret and she wasn't sure that if she was strutting around in six inch heels that her boobs weren't going to fall out. She turned around in a circle a few times, thinking it would make her feel better.

As she began to take out the knotted tie of her top from around her neck, she heard the sound of footsteps, which halted her. Glancing into the mirrors surrounding her, she saw Niall step into her closet (that was practically another full room) with his typical, unreadable smile. In all the years he served her, she'd never seen him wear a pair of sweatpants and one of those "wife-beater" undershirts. It was completely informal and inappropriate-

As if she minded.

"I see you're prepared for dinner tonight," Gwen scolded.

"I would have thought that you wanted me this way…" He shrugged, "These clothes are easier to get off than my other ones."

Gwen wasn't sure her face could get any redder, "Oh, you're funny…"

"Of course, I still need a shower."

"My showers are strictly between me and the water."

"Shame…" He stepped onto the platform she was on, reaching around her neck to finish pulling the knot out of her swimsuit top. Her arms instinctively crossed over her chest; despite that she was still covered. Her eyes met his and she felt the stirrings of desire inside of her gut, "I've never had the chance to behold you in your purest form."

"Correction, you refused the chance I gave you in Japan," she haughtily replied.

He laughed, his breath hot on her cheeks, "Care to give me back that chance?"

"N-Niall…" Gwen hesitated letting him pull her arms to her sides while he unclasped the back of her top, both watching as it fell to the floor. She was so embarrassed while he drank in the sight of her, closing her eyes until he brought her face into his hands, "Was that what you wanted to tell me?"

There he was, laughing again at her naivety. His hands fell from her face so he could remove his own shirt, and Gwen couldn't help staring at each swelled muscle and the strong lines at his hips that delved into a "V" below the waistband of his sweatpants. Face held in his palms, she shuddered as their chests pressed together, the heat as unbearable as being able to see their entangled figure in the mirrors surrounding them. But when his mouth claimed hers, she forgot about the world.

Time stopped for every passing second, minute that they were held together in a kiss. Her heart was loosed from her chest and she felt like she was flying so high above the world, all her woes left behind her in a flap of her wings. As their lips fell apart, she became aware of the tears in her eyes, but none of that matter as Niall swept her into his arms and carried her out to her bed, gracefully setting her across the mess of pillows and blankets. His body covered hers while he kissed her once more.

She was melting under the heat of his chest, the thundering of his heart that was maddened by their game of affections. All that teasing had brought her the one true happiness she had wanted from the beginning. Niall…Niall and all his scolding, his unreadable smiles, his stern eyes…Niall and his ability to understand without a word being said…She couldn't help it. She was just as maddened by their game as he was. A breath of air was drawn between them, but she thought that if she didn't kiss him again, she'd die.

A gentle hand brushed away her tears while she stared up at him in bewilderment. He kissed her forehead, but made no gesture to leave her just yet.

"That was what I wanted to tell you," he muttered.

Gwen pulled him back down over her, curling herself in the heat he gave off. She wanted to be surrounded by him, sheltered from the rest of the world, "Niall, if it had time-"

"Tonight." He rose from the bed, leaving her to claw at her blankets until she could cover herself. Kissing her forehead, he walked into her closet to retrieve his shirt, "I want to take my time with you."

That made her grin, "I'm not going to make this easy on you."

Niall climbed back overtop her, throwing the blanket off her and trapping her beneath him. He dragged his hand along the curve of her hip, then her shoulder, and up her arm, but he suddenly seized both her wrists and locked them above her head, "I've always liked a challenge…" She shivered at the feel of his breath on her neck, "I promise to make this worth your while."

"You better not disappoint." As he leaned away from her, she tackled him back into the sheets, straddling his waist while holding him in the same position, despite that it was useless, "I like creative boys-"

"Well, I'm a man." He leaned up and kissed her gently, arms encompassing her and crushing her against his chest, "That's something you haven't experienced yet."

Gwen laughed while he finally succeeded in walking to the door of her room, leaving with a wink in her direction before he threw his shirt back on. Lying on her stomach, she ran her fingers through her hair a couple of times before reality smacked her in the forehead. She was supposed to leave tomorrow and she still had dinner to get ready for! Throwing off her swimsuit bottoms, she ran over to her bathroom and turned on the shower, but the water brought back a familiar sound.

That song playing in Seto's office and the pouring rain its own symphony behind it… The challenge of who was going to break first. The sensation of his hands on her skin. The look in his eyes as he stood in the doorway, rain falling around him, watching her leave-

Stepping under the hot water, she was beginning to feel a giant void in her chest. She really hadn't been brave enough to say "goodbye" to him. No matter Niall's kiss, that blessed her with forgetfulness, she couldn't help thinking that there was something she wasn't considering. That morning when they returned to formalities, she had been broken. But why?

Because she had fallen in love with Seto Kaiba.

* * *

><p><strong>First off: I would love to hear what people think about Seto's response to his younger brother. <strong>

**Second: yes or no for Niall and Gwen "going at it"?**

**Third: Gwen knows she loves Seto**

**Fourth: Gwen is getting in trouble! She's making deals with a bad person...**

**Fifth: umm... Seto and Gwen reuniting? how about Gwen and Amelda reuniting?**

**Sixth: song choice for Gwen for the Miss USA Pageant! Who is she really singing that for? ;)**

**OK! I hope you liked it! please leave a review! It keeps me writing!**

**-TSA**


	19. Chapter 19

**I wrote you all a long chapter... i hope you all appreciate it! **

**Disclaimer: don't own YGO. Don't own the song T-Shirt by Shontelle. Don't own Two is Better than One by Boys like Girls/Taylor Swift. Ummm...so yeah...**

**Well! I had a lot of fun writing it! sooo much stuff...but the action has finally begun!**

**Read and enjoy! But please review... :)**

**-TSA**

* * *

><p>Chapter 19:<p>

_Try'na decide, try'na decide if I really wanna go out tonight. I never used to go out without ya – not sure I remember how ta._

Hiding in the bathroom at the restaurant wasn't one of her better escape routes, but it was better than listening to the incessant chatter of her mother and the other women. She felt a tad guilt for leaving Niall to their mercy…Staring at herself in the mirror, she was shaking her head over and over, hoping to distract her body from her quivering ankles. Damn her Jimmy Choos. What the purpose of wearing such overpriced shoes?

_Gonna be late, gonna be late, but, all my girls don't have to wait 'cause I don't know if I like my outfit._

Well, that wasn't good enough of an argument to distract her from her confession to herself in her shower before leaving for dinner. This must have been how Niall felt, loving someone who doesn't love you. Such a terrible way to exist! She glanced down at her phone that was sitting on the bathroom counter, his number opened up in her contacts. Why had she kept it was beyond her, but now it was torturing her. All she needed to do was pressed the green button on her blackberry and it would dial him. How reasonable would it be to try to talk to him? What if he didn't want to talk to her?

_I tried everything in my closet._

"Hey, Seto…It's Gwen. I realize there's nothing I can say that can mend anything, but…" She sighed heavily, "Look, everything is falling apart for me. This has been harder than I imagined. I just can't…let you go…"

She hung up the phone, grabbing several tissues to clean up her makeup that was beginning to blotch from the tears at the corners of her eyes. _Nothin feels right when I'm not with you. Sick of this dress and these Jimmy Choos… Takin' them off 'cause I feel a fool – _What was the purpose in leaving a voicemail? He'd probably just delete it, not bother to hear her voice strain to speak to him. So few words, yet she was sure if she said more then she'd just start crying. That would be even more irritating for him to listen to, and if there was a strain in communication then that would just sever it completely. _Try'na dress up when I'm missin' you._

Lifting up each foot one at a time, she struggled to remove her heels and threw them into the corner, her arches thanking her for the break to soak in the coldness of the tile floors. She wiggled her toes while finishing up the touches of her makeup, though she prepared more tissues since she planned to call him again. Maybe more words would be better? _I'mma step out of this lingerie, curl up in a ball with something Hanes. In bed I lay with nothing but your T-shirt on._

Oh, lovely voice-machine…how you taunt a weary heart… "Seto, it's me again…" She choked on her words before finally mustering up her courage to continue, "If you're ignoring my calls, then I understand. I don't exactly deserve to hear from you, but If you find a moment, whether it be ten minutes or an hour, I would really like to speak to you. There's so much that's been messed up between us and I just want the chance to make things right."

She hung it, rather abruptly, grabbing the tissues to staunch her tears. This was going to be a miserable evening._ With nothing but your T-shirt on…_Once she felt that she could look herself in the mirror, she grabbed her phone and jammed it into her purse, hoping that she'd just forget about wanting to speak to him. Her shoes were more of a struggle to put back on, but once that feat was accomplished, she made her way back into the restaurant.

Graciously sweeping into her seat, she waved off the frantic questions about her absence. She claimed it was all because of a client, hoping that they'd drop the conversation. But there was more prying, commenting about her statements about not feeling well until Gwen just decided to "admit" that her stomach was in knots. Once their chatter dissipated, Gwen leaned over to Niall, who had given her one of his all-knowing glances.

_Gotta be strong gotta be strong but I'm really hurtin' now that you're gone. I thought maybe I'd do some shopping, but I couldn't get past the door and – _

"You sure you're alright?" he muttered.

"I just want to go home…" She took a sip from her water, hoping to distract him while she forced her tears back, "I can't focus."

"Let me see your phone-"

Gwen slammed her hands on the table, standing up so fast that her chair clattered to the ground behind her. Her gaze had darkened, a raging storm brewing in those grey eyes. The howling wind guided her voice as she bellowed, "Stay out of this! No matter what you say, I love him!"

Snatching up her purse and kicking off her heels, leaving them askew on the restaurant floor, she ran over to the doors and burst outside. _Now I don't know, now I don't know if I'm ever really gonna let you go._ The air felt muggy and she swore she couldn't breathe while she flagged down a taxi. She slammed the door shut furiously, yelling the driver her address, which scared him into driving. She took her earrings out, slid off her bangles, and ripped the silver choker from her neck, disposing everything into her purse. Once her estate was reached, she paid the man and rushed inside, letting out a cry so loud that she swore all of Chicago could hear her.

Racing up the spiral stairway to her bedroom, she cast her purse onto the floor, the contents spilling as she flung herself onto her bed. _And I couldn't even leave my apartment. _Face pressed into the pillows, she cried and cried and cried until she was sure that there was nothing left in her body to produce tears. She lifted her head, staring about the darkness that felt like more of a comfort than anyone's words. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand before clicking on the lamp on her nightstand. Sliding off her bed, she picked up her cell phone that had made its way across the floor. Glancing at the blank screen, she cradled it close to her chest as if it could bring her the comfort of his voice.

_I'm stripped down, torn up about it._

. . . .

He had to admit, it was making his stomach churn to have intercepted the calls Gwen was making. Her voicemails were enough to bring him to his knees, though he didn't think that complex existed inside of Seto Kaiba. Shaking his head, Amelda signed off on the computer and contemplated his options. Maybe he could give her a ring? Maybe talking to someone else who had shown his interest would help mend things? He let out a breathy sigh. There was no way she'd find comfort in that. Gwen didn't have to say it aloud, since her messages conveyed the message pretty clearly.

She loved Seto.

Unfortunately, Dartz had plans for Seto that involved _him_. He wasn't sure how to go about apologizing to Gwen when her "lover" had his soul ripped from his body. He just needed to prevent her from seeing the duel, a frustration that had crossed his mind when he was informed that she would be on Duelist Island during this exchange. Dartz had the assumption that she could help weaken Seto, but now plans had changed course. Why couldn't she just have been distracted a little longer?

Amelda tugged his cell phone from his pocket, flipping through his contacts until he saw Gwen's number. He had already made up his mind not to call her, but staring at her name seemed to ease his conscious. She deserved more than these games. Even he wasn't being honest with her. If she truly understood how the men in her life were working angles, she'd probably give up on love all together. That would be a shame…such a beautiful woman casting away her talents…

Unfortunately, he didn't have time to dwell on this. He needed to prepare for his performance against Seto Kaiba. While the bastard was reliving his duel with Pegasus, he'd be unsuspecting of his new enemy.

. . . .

"Seto, damn it will you just answer me? I get it, I messed up, but so did you! I just want to fix this…and I can't do that unless we talk. God, why do things have to be this way? Why can't we just go back to our last event together…when we danced so perfectly? That is, until I blundered. If you could call me back…"

_Nothin feels right when I'm not with you. Sick of this dress and these Jimmy Choos… Takin' them off 'cause I feel a fool – _She hung up her phone, burying her face back into her pillows while sobbing again. When she'd finally regained control of herself, she hobbled out of bed and into her closet. Fishing through shirts, she found the one she buried at the bottom of the drawer from when she unpacked from her trip. She couldn't help a laugh at thinking of Seto wearing that faded grey t-shirt with the Blue Eyes White Dragon stretched across it. _Try'na dress up when I'm missin' you._ She held it close to her chest for a few minutes, searching for a sweet and tender moment that had occurred between them. And all that came to mind were the nights they danced.

Sliding out of her dress, she threw the t-shirt on and made her way into the bathroom. _I'mma step out of this lingerie, curl up in a ball with something Hanes. In bed I lay with nothing but your T-shirt on._ She held the phone out in front of herself, clicking several photos with different faces. As she looked through all of them, she found the one she liked the most, which was her with a slight pout in her lips. Choosing to send a text, it didn't take her long to think of the right words to send him. Smiling as it was sent, she stole a glance at herself in the mirror. Despite all the crying, she felt the slightest wave of comfort.

_With nothing but your T-shirt on…_

. . . .

The feel of his phone vibrating in his pocket caught him off-guard, but his curiosity of who texted him made him dig it out of his pocket. Clicking the autopilot button, he leaned back in his seat and opened the message, and what he found made him catch his breath. _I remember every look upon your face._ There was the slightest laugh while he read her message over and over – _"Nothing feels right when I'm not with you". _He stared at her picture for what felt like forever, admiring that protruding lower lip that he loved to capture in a passionate kiss. What would be a reasonable reply?

_The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste._

It wasn't like she'd been trying to call him, so he didn't understand where the picture was coming from. Maybe it was some twisted kind of apology? Or maybe this was some stupid way to pry her way into his company? Well, the latter was giving her too much credit. He decided against thinking too much about it, choosing to enjoy the picture of her. She was certainly still a beautiful woman. That's when the thought hit him. He needed to send her a picture that conveyed how hurt he had been that she didn't say goodbye. _You make it hard for breathing._

That would take a little more time than needed. Tossing his phone into the seat beside him, he focused on landing his helicopter onto Duelist Island. There was a docking pad at the top of Pegasus' castle – _'narcissistic asshole'_ – and he found they were joined by two butlers. With a quick exchange of introductions, Seto, with Mokuba at his side, followed the men inside. Wandering the hallways reminded him that he needed to call Samantha and figure out what the hell was going on.

Given their lodgings for the night, he cast a suspicious eye to the butlers, who left the room with little commotion. Taking his phone out of his pocket, he closed out of Gwen's text to dial Samantha's number. Ring, ring, ring, voicemail. He tried her again, but got the same response. He left her a message to call him back immediately before crashing down onto the bed. _'Cause when I close my eyes and drift away…_Staring up at the ceiling, the empty whiteness, he clicked the camera on his phone and held it above him. He wasn't sure how many pictures he snapped or what his face looked like, but it seemed a sufficient reply.

Flipping through them, he chose one that looked like he was trying to fight against the pain. It made him laugh that his eyes had the ability to look like that. _I think of you and everything's okay. _Writing his message below the photo, he clicked send before throwing his phone aside to await her reply. Glancing to his right, he saw Mokuba already asleep on the bed, curled up in a ball beneath a blanket. The smile on his face was something he knew no one else would ever experience. Hoping to not disturb him, he went to sit in the chair at a desk beside the bed. He was restless, allowing himself to cherish those small memories of dancing with her.

_I'm finally now believing._

. . . .

Gwen dove to grab her phone, smiling when she saw that she had a message from Seto. Figured, the asshole would only text her. But she just wasn't that bothered by it once she opened up the picture. She was laughing at his "model face". For the relatively quick reply, that was a pretty damn good picture. Of course, he was just so attractive to begin with. The best part of it all was reading the words – _"You make it hard for breathing"._ Rushing back into her closet, she tried to come up with more outfits, memorabilia in their own manner, to send him pictures of. She struggled into the gown he bought her, ignoring that her hair was a mess as she struck a pose and clicked several photos of herself, trying to get as much of the dress in it.

She sent it to him with another silly quote from T-Shirt by Shontelle. It was such a perfect song for the moment. Walking over to the stereo in her closet, she plugged in her IPOD that was sitting beside it and began blasting the song in her room. She was singing every note as loud as her lungs could, not giving a damn who in the house could hear her. Let them shout for her to "shut up".

. . . .

He was laughing louder than he thought he would about his strange communication with Gwen. He read the message to the tune of the song she was quoting. _"Sick of this dress and these Jimmy Choos". _Standing from his perch at the desk, he threw off his shirt and leaned against the wall. How ridiculous he must have looked taking a picture of himself. If Mokuba was awake, he'd being having a fit. He sent it as quickly as he could after typing his response.

The world felt in order again.

. . . .

Gwen spun around in a circle, careless of being practically naked with just his t-shirt on again. Now, he was just teasing her. She thought about the chances of him replying if she just sent him a text. His words were sending shivers down her spine. _"I think about you and everything's okay". _Sitting down on the floor of her closet, she took a simple photo of her smiling. She wasn't sure what she expected to get back, deciding to leave that in his hands instead of writing a message.

. . . .

His heart collapsed in his chest to see her smile again. He had almost forgotten what that had looked like. Staring at his keypad, he decided that maybe she'd want to talk to him? He'd send her another message to see if she was alright with his gesture. He wanted to believe that things were falling back together. It couldn't be over yet. There was too much left to do, too much to discover about each other. He truly wanted to _know_ her. Mustering up his courage, he sent his message, forever listening to the drumming of his reply in his head.

_"So…how are you?"_

. . . .

Lying on her bed with the music from her closet still playing, though softly now, she kept checking her phone. No reply. Well, it had only been twenty minutes. He was probably still thinking of a reply. She pushed her phone under her pillow when she heard the doorknob turn and watched a tired Niall amble into her room. She met his gaze, unwavering from her statement earlier. She was prepared to defend herself against anything he said.

Or…so she thought…

"I'm leaving, Little Miss."

Her breath caught in her throat and she choked out her words, "Where are you going?"

"That would be classified."

She could tell by the tone of his voice that this was no joke, "When will you come back?"

"I don't know. Could be a few days, could be weeks…" His shoulders dropped and he rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm sorry for earlier."

"I know." It wasn't her best response, but it seemed to ease him, "Why?"

"I have unfinished business with the skeletons in my closet."

"You never told me those things."

"I felt it best you didn't know." He bowed his head to her, "I was wrong to try to thwart your emotions. Please accept that apology as well."

Before he could leave, Gwen leapt off the bed and ran over to him, throwing her arms around his shoulders and burying her face into his strong torso, "I forgive you." She struggled to stop her tears, but when Niall lifted her chin, they came crashing down her face.

"You have no reason to cry," he whispered, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"Promise me you'll come back…" she sobbed.

He embraced her tightly, wishing that their goodbye could be more than this, "I promise." Holding her face in his hands, he kissed her as gently as possible, soaking in the warmth of her lips and the tremble of her body. Releasing her felt like his soul had been torn from his body, but he forced himself to smile at her dumbfounded expression, "I will always love you, Gwen. Don't forget that." With one last kiss against her forehead, he left, though he heard her whispered words –

"I won't…"

The door closing behind him made her wish she'd said something else, but those were the only words that came to mind. Stumbling over to her bed, she retrieved her phone, disappointed to see that there was no reply. Why the fuck didn't he just call her? She sunk into her mattress, burying herself with blankets before clicking off her lamp on her nightstand. Music still playing softly, she tried to fall asleep, but there was so much going on in her head.

. . . .

"You just barely saved your own ass."

"I know that! At least I intercepted the last one!"

"Just you wait 'til Dartz finds out."

"He won't if you just keep your mouth shut, Varon."

"I'm just looking out for ya!"

Amelda paced around in circles, running his fingers through his hair. How could he have been so careless? Well, the answer was simple. He didn't want her to be so completely miserable. But maybe that spark of hope in their communication had been worse for her than not hearing from him, "I need to break him in half, but my best piece just moved herself across the board."

"Dartz will probably know how to fix this…"Varon muttered

"As if I'm going to tell him that I messed up."

"It's just an idea. Then you won't have to worry about failing to rid of the Kaiba guy."

Amelda sat back down in front of his computer, staring at the corresponding messages and photos that had been exchanged between Seto and Gwen, "I think I have an idea."

"Oh, really?" Varon eyed the smirk on his lips, "Care to give me a hint?"

"If he actually cares about her, then he'd hate to see her with another man."

Varon lifted a brow, "You let me know how that goes…"

"Still bitter that I was the one to _seduce_ her," Amelda sneered.

"Oh, please!" Varon rolled his eyes, "You need to get out of the habit of flattering yourself."

Amelda drummed his fingers on the table, imagining how perfectly he could play her before Kaiba's eyes. If only he could replay that evening on the beach. That would shatter him. Leaning back in his chair, he was so lost to his plotting that he didn't hear the footsteps approach behind him. He jolted upright, looking over his shoulder as Dartz held out a disk to him, "Didn't hear you come in…"

Dartz merely grinned, "I believe this will solve your dilemma."

Taking the disk, he watched Dartz leave, which prompted him to observe whatever he had been given. His eyes grew to the size of his head while he stared at his computer screen. So…that's what they had looked like? As soon as Varon moved to catch a glimpse of the video, Amelda slammed his laptop shut, his face a deep scarlet.

"You alright, Amelda?"

He straightened himself out, but refused to look at Varon, "I think I've just been given my solution to this problem."

. . . .

Seto wasn't sure what time it was that he fell asleep at the desk beside the bed, though he couldn't help thinking about how she didn't reply to his message. He was kicking himself for being too much of a coward to call her. If he thought it would make a difference, he'd call her now. But it wouldn't. Besides, he still hadn't heard from Samantha despite that he would be facing off with her father. Changing his clothes, donning his old signature coat with a black turtleneck beneath it, he stepped into the bathroom to get a better look at himself. Well, he could have looked worse, that's for sure. There were rings beneath his eyes and he looked a bit too restless.

Shrugging it off, he walked over to the bed and shook Mokuba awake. As he grabbed his briefcase, there was a loud knock on the door. He called for whoever it was to "come in", greeted by the butlers from last night. With Mokuba at his side, still a bit groggy, he followed them out of the room and down the hall. Familiar memories filled him as they came across the balcony where the duel arena sat below them. Led down the stairway, Seto stepped onto the bridge that connected him to the arena. He waited with his arms crossed over his chest until he noticed a small computer screen sitting in front of him. Walking closer, he saw the images become clearer and he nearly vomited at what he saw.

Her lips on his, his hands on her skin, places that he swore he had only touched, his dirty words scalding his ears as he stared at the video playing. Who was this woman? Her soft moans, her demanding of that other guy… He had to restrain himself from breaking the computer. What trick was this? And who was that guy? For the first time, jealously truly stung him to the point that he swore tears were building in his eyes. Damn it, he was actually human.

He wasn't sure how many times the video played, but he couldn't tear his eyes from it. It finally occurred to him that the part that hurt the most was seeing her initiate that first kiss, seeing the hunger in her lips to taste another man. The way her body seemed to collapse into him, the way her nails left bites across his skin, the way she welcomed him to revel in the glory of her body, it was slowly killing him. Oh, God, and the way she crumbled into a hot and bothered mess by his_ disgusting_ words… So why hadn't he turned away? Because he was so transfixed by her behavior… That must have been how she seduced Lionel for his company.

Now, he was boiling with anger. How stupid was he being? Gwen was nothing but a conniving little slut and he had fallen for it. Slamming the computer screen shut, he turned his blurry eyes upward to see Pegasus saunter onto his side of the arena. Hands clenched in fists, Seto couldn't control the strangled words that came from his throat, "What fucking kind of trick was that?"

"I couldn't possibly know what you mean!" That damn laugh was enough to make his skin crawl, "Are we going to duel or not?"

Seto forced himself to grin, "I'm going to rip you apart…"

"So sad that nothing has changed between us, Kaiba-Boy!"

"That's where you'd be wrong, Pegasus…"

"Oh, dear…You really are mad aren't you?"

"Just shut up and duel!"

Connecting his duel disk to the arena, he tried to block out everything he had seen in that video. It was making his stomach churn and he swore he wouldn't be able to focus until he vomited. Seeing as that wasn't such a likely option, he closed his eyes for a moment to find a peace of mind. But there was nothing. Reaching into his pocket, he opened his eyes to the photo of Gwen smiling that she had sent him last night. How long had he stared at it before he had fallen asleep? Turning his gaze to Pegasus, he tucked his phone away before drawing from his deck. If the least he could do was destroy this asshole, then it needed to be enough.

. . . .

Letter sitting on her mother's bed, Gwen left the room hastily in hopes that her mother wouldn't be back from her breakfast until she was gone. It felt normal to be just leaving, since she never felt responsible for telling her mother much of anything, but the fact that two strange men were waiting outside for her by a helicopter was making her nervous. (Oh, and thanks for sending over that jet...) They said the flight would not take long, though that didn't seem to make her feel any better. Leather briefcase in her hand, she walked outside to the front lawn where the helicopter was perched in the grass. She wondered if this was what the president felt like…?

Accepting the gestures to help her into the helicopter, she took a seat as far away from the doors as possible. She couldn't help wishing she had Niall with her, but he was gone before she woke up this morning. So this was what it was like to be alone? It only seemed to don on her now that she hadn't done anything without him. Now, she wasn't so sure she could do this without him. Staring at her phone, she was hoping that she'd receive a call or text from him, but there was nothing coming in as the helicopter took flight.

She wasn't sure how long the flight lasted, but by the time she lifted her head after messing around on her phone for the entirety of the tip, she saw an island ahead of them. Squeezing her way between the two pilots, her eyes were wide as she took in the vast forest that surrounded a castle. She was hoping they weren't just going to drop her off in the middle of nowhere and expect her to get there without any assistance. Not to mention…her shoes would prove to be an issue.

She let out an airy sigh when the helicopter perched on the roof the castle, next to another that had a familiar insignia. Kaiba Corporation… He was really here then. Thanking the men, she slowly made her way to a door that looked to lead inside. As her hand touched the doorknob, the door swung open, hitting her between the eyes. Falling backward onto her butt, she mumbled several curses before the butlers hoisted her to her feet while expressing their sincerest apologies. Waving them off, she made her way inside, ignoring their attempts to direct her along the way. She couldn't place it, but something was pulling her along the hallways. As one butler tried to bring her off toward a certain chamber, she started into a faster walk until she was practically bounding out onto an open balcony.

Throwing herself against the railing, she stared down at the duel arena where she saw Seto facing off with who she figured was Pegasus. But that didn't matter. Staring down at him, she wasn't sure what to do to get his attention. She covered her mouth to keep herself from yelling, but when her eyes found Mokuba's, he nearly cried out to her until she shook her head. He ran up behind his brother, tugging the back of his coat, distracting him from his current move. There was a heated exchange until Seto's eyes widened and he turned his attention to the balcony.

She wished that this moment could have played out like Romeo and Juliet, the desperate wish to forget all the boundaries between them and spend an endless night in one another's arms. If that was her expectation, then she needed to stop watching so many Disney movies. Seto shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest. Something didn't seem right and she finally let her mouth relax from the smile on her face from having finally seen him again.

"I'll deal with you later, Miss O'Malley. I'm currently in the middle of something," Seto said.

So much for Romeo... "Is that all you can say to me?"

"For the moment? Yes. So, either you can stand there in those ridiculous heels or you can take a seat while I finish off this sorry excuse for a dueling champion." Seto turned back to Pegasus, "Though I must say that I'm sorely disappointed that you're using the same strategy as last time."

"What do you expected from me?" Pegasus replied.

Seto narrowed his eyes on him, "The Pegasus I know wouldn't be letting me beat him so easily."

Pegasus began to laugh, though it wasn't that same skin curling one. Seto staggered back a step as the duel arena collapsed before him and the man impersonating Pegasus removed his costume. Hands clenching into fists, Seto couldn't help recognizing the face in front of him as the one from the video with Gwen. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the duel disk on his enemy's arm, but that wasn't nearly as alarming as the circle that stood beneath his feet. There were six points, interconnecting in a web where the holograms of their monsters stood before them.

Regaining his composure, Seto straightened himself out, dusting off his jacket, "You made the mistake of revealing yourself to me."

"And why is that?"

Gwen grimaced at the daggers laced in Seto's glare, "Because I've got more of a reason to kill _you_ than Pegasus."

Amelda laughed, "You really do hold grudges, don't you?"

"I don't like when people mess around with what is _rightfully_ mine," Seto growled.

"See, that's where your problem lies…" Amelda titled his head up to Gwen, grinning when her face turned a slight shade of red, "Gwen, do you agree with Kaiba's statement that you are 'rightfully' his?"

Gwen turned her eyes to Seto, finding a somewhat desperate gaze in his eyes. What could she say? They never really belonged to each other. Bowing her head, she muttered, "I'm no one's property…"

"Ya hear that, Kaiba!" Amelda faced him, giving him a wink, "There are some things that money just can't buy."

"How about you shut the fuck up and we get to the part where I destroy you?" Seto snarled.

Amelda grinned, "Let me explain something first. This 'thing' at your feet is called 'The Seal of Orichalcos'. All of my monsters from now on gain a 500 attack point bonus. And to add to all the fun, the loser of this duel, i.e. _you_, will have his soul ripped from his body."

Gwen felt her ankles begin to shake at the prospect of losing Seto, though he seemed completely unfazed by it.

"Let's not waste any more time." Seto stole a glance at Gwen before drawing his next card, "Though I do have one request. Can you explain to me, Miss O'Malley, why you decided to practically _fuck_ this fruitcake?"

Her face was so red it nearly matched the color of the wall behind her, "I'm not going to explain myself to you."

"Well, let me just remind you that I got there first and I'm prepared to kill the next person who tries to get fresh with you."

Gwen wasn't sure whether to be flattered or insulted, but she knew for sure that the smile on her face was because of him. Such an asshole when he wanted to get across the point that he was hurt. Just another perk of being the richest CEO in the world…? Glancing over at Amelda, she felt a stab of guilt in her stomach. He must have told Seto what happened between them. Wishing she could solve this for them, she resorted to leaning on the railing and watching the duel progress, knowing that Seto's life was on the line.

If it wasn't for her French manicured nails, she'd have bitten them until her fingers bled. She was never one for dueling, but with the stakes being what they were, she was leaning so far over the railing that she could fall. She wasn't sure she wanted to try to get closer, since her relationship with Seto was still fuzzy. There was a lot to settle between them before she was even going to consider forgiveness. That, of course, all depended on if he survived his duel. She knew he was a world renowned duelist, but that didn't mean that he was unbeatable.

Though she had to admit that she was confused by which side Amelda was fighting on. There was an enemy that she was unaware of, and she was beginning to think that the man who had called her, who had forced her to collapse on the dance floor, was it. Covering her mouth to avoid a cry of alarm, she watched as Seto's life points drained to 200. The least she could say was that he didn't falter. His eyes remained dark, slightly crazed, while Amelda mused on what looked to be his victory in the next turn.

"I'm really starting to enjoy myself in this duel, Kaiba." Amelda cast his eyes to Gwen, giving her the same wink he had given Seto, "I get to knock you off the face of the earth and steal your girlfriend!"

As if that were a trigger word, Gwen yelled "I'm not his girlfriend"! at the same time Seto hollered "She's not my girlfriend"!

Amelda couldn't contain his laughter, "Absolutely incredible! You two are pretty dense."

"Shut up, Fruitcake." Seto smirked, "I just don't see why you are set on ridding of me?"

Amelda's face contorted, swallowed by a shadow that Seto hadn't seen hanging over him until now. Gaze sharpened, he drew in a tight breath, "You're the reason my little brother is dead."

There was an overwhelming silence and Gwen watched as Seto glanced over at Mokuba as if understanding of what Amelda was talking about.

"I'm not responsible for whatever happened to him."

Amelda's hands clenched into fists, "Your father is part of the reason my home was caught in a war! He was supply the weapons that ultimately took my brother from me!"

But Seto was still unfazed, "Gozaburo Kaiba is no father of mine. I ran that bastard out of his business, then to his deathbed." He dropped his hands to his sides, shaking his head, "Welcome to the casualties of war…"

"You don't understand…" Amelda swallowed back his tears, "Try to imagine life without your little brother, Kaiba! Then maybe you can feel an inkling of the pain I've suffered!"

Seto shrugged, "It's pathetic that you can't take responsibility for what happened. You're just looking to put the blame somewhere else."

"I'm going to destroy you…"

"Get in line."

Gwen tried not to sigh at the low growl in Seto's voice. It would be rather out of place to be thinking of how sexy Seto sounded when he was backed into a corner. More importantly, he needed to get out of this alive. She resorted to biting her lip while Seto played his next card. Thank goodness for her lack of understanding of the game, because his move seemed reckless until he summoned "Paladin of White Dragon" and with that bringing "Blue Eyes White Dragon" to the field. Seeing that dragon summoned, Gwen was breathless. Such a mighty creature, as powerful as Seto – No wonder it was his signature card. Suddenly, his t-shirt became much more important to her.

But when it became Amelda's turn, Gwen began to feel her head grow light. Teetering to the side, she tried to grab hold of the railing before she crashed into the ground. There were several voices calling out her name, but none of them roused her as she fell off into her own world. A vision, perhaps? Her eyes closed shut as a bright light swarmed over her, Nautia's face appearing before hers. The woman's tender hand caressed her cheek, whispering that everything would be alright.

_Nautia wrapped her mantle further around her shoulders, blocking out the chill of the night as she moved across several interconnecting bridges until she was at the palace doors. Bowing to the guardsmen, they gave her a serene smile before allowing her to pass. She was such a familiar face to them that her admittance was never second guessed. Resisting the urge to run her hands along the ivory walls, she continued down the brightly lit hallway, where the torchlight bounced shadows off her face. _

_Entering the throne room, she stared at the scene before her. Dartz, recently coroneted as the King of Atlantis, was kneeling before an altar where a body lay underneath a white cloth. She muttered a couple prayers under her breath before he rose and gestured for her to come closer. Fluidly crossing the floor, she gave him a bow, though he quickly brought her to her feet by taking her hands in his._

_"I seek your guidance, Priestess."_

_She nodded her head, "I can only offer my grievances, My Lord."_

_"Then perhaps that will be enough."_

_Nautia's brow furrowed as Dartz paced around the chamber, ever so often casting his eyes to the corpse upon the altar. She mumbled several more prayers, wishing to perform the rituals that would grant her a safe passage into the spirit world. When she looked back at Dartz, she saw him standing in the shadows with his hand clasped around his necklace. She couldn't resist pressing her hand to hers, feeling the smooth edges of the fragment of Orichalcos that all Atlantians possessed. _

_"What is it that you ask of me?" Nautia whispered._

_Dartz seemed to have not heard her, "These stones…show the evil inside our hearts…"_

_"I don't understand."_

_When he looked into her eyes, she swore that his gold eyes shifted to a murky green, "Iona was corrupted by it. I had no choice…"_

_Rushing to his side, she caught him as he tumbled forward, grimacing to keep him on his feet, "The gods forgive you, My Lord."_

_"Yes…" He tried to smile, "…that is why I sent for you…to assure myself of that…"_

_She eased him into sitting on the ground, knowing she wouldn't be able to carry him to his throne. Kneeling in front of him, she cupped his face in her hands, "There is no evil inside you, My Lord. You are the King of Atlantis, the heart of our very city. Do not falter now, for your people will not know how to follow."_

_"I need guidance, Nautia."_

_She drew in a deep breath, "I can only offer so much." She sat back on her legs with a shake of her head, "Atlantis needs their king. You are our Orichalcos stone, our very life source. Do not let the shadows grow on your heart and feed on your sorrow."_

_His bloodshot eyes found her gaze, "There are voices that ask me to do terrible things..."_

_"Heed my words, My Lord. I will not let you fall to the darkness."_

_He took her hands in his, kissing her palms, "I trust you, Nautia."_

Reality hurled her back into her body and she shot up from the floor as if she had just woken from a terrible nightmare. Hands clutching the folds of her blouse, she assured herself that she was still inside Pegasus' castle where Amelda and Seto were dueling. She scrambled to her feet, leaning on the railing to keep herself standing as she watched Seto summon a card that brought a surge of warmth to her chest. "The Fang of Critias". As the dragon emerged onto the field, she found herself lost for a moment to a scene of Nautia in Critias' arms, surrendering to their forbidden love for one another. Hands pressed over her heart, she opened her eyes to see all of Amelda's monsters erased from his side of the field, leaving him to Seto's mercy.

But it seemed as though Amelda had other plans. He activated a spell card that dealt damage to both of them, leaving the duel in a draw. The circle below their feet vanished and Amelda had run off into the shadows of the hallway before anyone could follow him.

Gwen felt her knees begin to shake as Seto walked over to his brother, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and giving him a tight hug. What was going to happen now? She held her breath as he wove along the stairway until he was on the balcony where she was standing – Well, more like trembling. He set his briefcase aside, removing the duel disk from his arm, but there was no gesture towards her. Gazing into those deep blue eyes, the color of sapphires, she began to feel so incredibly weak. Why did he have to have that power over her? When he gave a small laugh, she tried to prepare herself for what he said to her.

"Those are ugly shoes."

Her eyes widened and she tried to decipher if he was joking or simply being an asshole, "Is that _seriously_ all you can say to me?"

"They just caught my attention." He shrugged, "Whoever told you that fuchsia colored heels was a good idea, is a fucking idiot."

"What is wrong with them?"

He walked closer to her and the sensation of the heat his body gave off made her face turn scarlet. He loomed over her, pushing her into the railing while setting his hands against the bar so that she was trapped between his arms, "I just remember you telling me that you're sick of your Jimmy Choos."

Now, that made her grin, "These ones are new. I haven't gotten sick of them _yet_."

"But on a serious note, that pink is really throwing me off."

"Well, just in case you wanted my professional opinion, purple is just not your color."

"You don't think so?" He shrugged, "I didn't have you around earlier to tell me that."

"You could have called me back"

"You could have answered my text."

"I never got a text from you."

"I never got a call _or_ voicemail from you."

There was an exchange of disbelieving glances before they pulled out their phones to prove that they had attempted communication. There was an exchange of perturbed glances, both awkwardly trying to place what had happened. Giving him a little push, Gwen wiggled her way over to the wall, wanting some room to breathe.

Seto sighed, "Someone most likely tampered with our phones."

"I guess that makes sense…" she muttered.

They both cleared their throats, one at a time glancing at Mokuba for some kind of signal, but he was too amused to "help". Gwen finally began to move toward Seto, but he quickly seized her arm and pushed her into the ground. At first, she was prepared to yell at him until she saw that he was struggling with one of the butlers from earlier. Breaking the man's grip on his knife, Seto dragged him over to the balcony and flipped him over it, grimacing at the sound of his body hitting the floor below.

Speechless was an understatement. Gwen couldn't help a weary smile as he held his hand out to her, but her eyes widened and she shouted, "Behind you!"

She flinched as he was punched across the jaw, sent tumbling into the stand where a flower pot began to teeter from his impact. He dodged the next swing and tackled the man into the ground. They wrestled for a couple minutes while Gwen hobbled over to the stand, seizing the vase and once Seto was sent tumbling across the floor, she crept up behind the butler and smashed it over his head. The man crumbled at her feet, and her startled expression made Seto laugh, though not for long.

Seto scrambled to his feet, but Gwen grabbed his arm to keep him from charging forward at the man who had a gun pressed to Mokuba's head. Amelda's words were spinning in his head. No, he wasn't about to lose his brother, "Let him go."

The man's hollow laughter filled his ears and at the sound of a gunshot, Seto dropped to his knees. His brow furrowed and he let out a heavy sigh as Mokuba ran over to him, throwing his arms around his neck. Staring at the man that was lying on the ground, he saw the pool of blood forming around his head. Eyes searching for who had fired the gun, he covered Mokuba's head as a second shot was fired, but he saw that it had taken out the man coming up behind Gwen with a knife.

There was a steady silence and after several minutes of huddling close to one another, they rose to their feet to see that no one else was there. At least, not yet.

Gwen peered down at each of the faces, "Do you always have people trying to kill you?"

"It's becoming a common occurrence…" Seto faced her, seeming to be at a loss for words. He held his hand out, a gesture that made her wish they were somewhere alone where they could dance for the rest of the evening. When she took his hand, he drew her closer, though far enough establish the distance between one another that hadn't been crossed. The feel of her palm against his cheek made his heart sink in his chest, reminding him of the small things, which hadn't occurred to him, that he missed, "You never said goodbye…"

Gwen smiled while he pressed his forehead to hers, "Because I knew I'd see you again." She giggled when he nuzzled his nose against hers. Closing the remaining distance, she curled herself into his arms, head against his shoulder as he hugged her, "Will you stay with me?"

"Until the end."

She felt his hands take her face, drawing her lips up to his, but before she could taste what she had missed so terribly, the sound of clicking heels echoed behind them. Slowly turning around, half expecting to see another person with a gun or knife, both their jaws dropped to see a spunky blonde strut toward them, clicking off her Bluetooth in her ear before dropping her suitcases onto the ground. Whether it was seeing them or the dead bodies, Samantha Crawford looked rather annoyed.

"Well, _this_ is awkward," she muttered.

* * *

><p><strong>I FOUND SAMANTHA! hahahaha. well, that certainly is something awkward to come home to... bummer! Gwen and Seto didn't kiss!<strong>

**i hope you liked their interaction with finally seeing each other. and how about Amelda! **

**reviews would be appreciated so i have an idea how you people "received" this installation of my story.**

**please review! and i will start with the next chapter...**

**-TSA**


	20. Chapter 20

**WOAH! an update? **

**yep! I just finished a new chapter for ya! Hope you enjoy it! **

**Please review! I'm curious to know if this story is really being read...**

**Thanks!**

**TSA**

* * *

><p>Chapter 20:<p>

"How about you two start by telling me why there are dead people on the floor." Samantha tiptoed between the men lying on the ground, leaving her suitcases as she gestured for Seto and Gwen to follow her through the hallway.

"Someone was trying to kill me," Seto retorted.

"So, someone has finally decided to try it." She laughed when he gave her a glare, "Oh, come on. You can't expect that you aren't on a few peoples' hit lists."

"It would seem extreme to actually send such lousy assassins after me."

"Well, I've got even better news for you." Samantha led them into a door that it appeared she only had the key for, beckoning them inside to a large computer screen and several other small ones. Slipping into a chair, her fingers flew across the keyboards and the giant screen came to life with a broadcast from London, England. They were wide eyed and speechless while watching what appeared to be duel monsters attacking people, ripping their souls from their bodies, "Guess who they think is behind this?"

Seto sighed heavily, "They think it's me, don't they?"

"You created Solid Vision." Samantha spun around in her chair, crossing her legs and folding her hands on her lap, "No one else has come up with a reason why these monsters suddenly came to life. Your gaming system is an easy scapegoat."

"I'm going to assume that whoever did this is responsible for buying the majority share of my company."

Gwen was shifting uncomfortably, biting her lip. The man who called her…the man she had danced with before collapsing…She didn't know his name, but she was beginning to think that he was associated with the company in Seto's binder that didn't have a photo, "Look up Paradius."

She squeezed between Samantha and the keyboards, typing it into her search engine, but the computer went haywire, flashing through thousands of pictures until it stopped on one of a slab of rock with symbols written across it. Gwen's eyes were wide, taking in what was written in front of her, unable to hear Samantha's shouting about breaking her computer. Beams of blue light, a ghostlike fog, streamed from her eyes as her pupils and irises turned white. She wasn't sure who caught her when she fell, but her vision had gone black.

Samantha bolted out of her chair, kneeling where Seto had her cradled in his arms on the floor, "Does this happen often?"

"Yes…" he muttered.

Mokuba's brow was knotted, "Is she going to be okay?"

Seto watched as her eyes finally closed and he quickly grabbed her wrist to assure she had a pulse, "I hope so…"

_Oh, the silence of her temple. It was empowering to be alone for mere moments, praying to the altar where the moon shone brightly across it, lighting the steps she knelt on. Eyes closed, lost to her thoughts, she tried to overcome the stresses of her body. It was difficult with how many days she spent by Lord Dartz's side in hopes of healing him from his dreadful loss. What it must have felt like, she could never comprehend. But a moment in prayer was better than wallowing in pain._

_Her ears tingled at the sound of clanking metal, and she stifled a weak laugh when she glanced over her shoulder to see a distraught Critias stomping her way, throwing his helmet onto the ground so that it rolled to her feet. She remained calm, offering him a smile as he stood in front of her, presenting a quick bow in respect. Holding up a hand, she kept him from speaking too quickly._

"_Before you yell, take a deep breath." He obeyed, though he felt ridiculous, "Now, does this have to do with Lord Dartz?"_

"_Of course it does!" She gave him a glance, and he reminded himself not to shout, "He's corrupted, Priestess."_

"_He grieves his wife. Would you be any different than him if you lost the one you love-?"_

_Critias fell to his knees, taking her hands tightly in his, "I die by the mere thought of it."_

"_Then you understand."_

"_Timaeus has heard that Lord Dartz consults a different god."_

_This seemed to bother Nautia, "Another god? What do you mean?"_

"_It's these stones." He tugged at the leather chord around his neck, "We know the power these stones hold. We've never sought to gain more than we have, but he's being seduced by it."_

"_I don't understand."_

_Critias sighed, holding her hands even tighter, "Atlantis has very few dark histories, but do you remember the Orichalcos God?"_

_Her eyes widened and she was silent for several moments. Her hands began to shake before she threw her arms around him, shuttering until he embraced her tightly, "It's a dark legend. You don't think he would-?"_

"_I do, Nautia." Critias kissed her brow, "You're the only one he trusts. Either deter him back to your temple or deal with him by a blade."_

_She looked up at him in alarm, "I can't do that, Critias. I'm a priestess-"_

_"Do you love him more than you love Atlantis?"_

_"They are one in the same." She shook her head, "I will speak with him. If it comes to it, I will act in the interest of this city, but I won't make that my initiative."_

_"That's all I ask." _

_Untangling herself from his arms, she stood and gazed up at the moon which poured light across her face. When Critias tapped her shoulder, she slowly faced him, thinking through each of his next movements. The hand against her cheek, the whisper that he trusted her, her arms around his waist, and that soft kiss against her lips that set her heart on fire… She would do anything for him, and wasn't that what love was all about?_

Gwen jolted upright, breathing heavily while grasping hold of Seto's arms, which were holding her. Her nails bit through his jacket until she calmed herself and released him. Shaking her head and running her fingers through her hair a few times, she looked up to see Samantha staring at her with very curious green eyes beneath her glasses.

"I didn't realize you were such an interesting person, Miss O'Malley…" Samantha muttered.

"Are you alright, Gwen?" Mokuba asked.

"Yeah…I'm getting used to passing out at random times." She kicked off her shoes, wobbling to her feet, "I think the person you're looking for, who bought majority share of your company, is named Dartz."

Seto lifted a brow, "Who's that?"

Gwen wasn't sure what prompted her to answer the way she did, but she figured it would be less weird than duel monsters attacking people, "The King of Atlantis."

"I told you not to drag me into this…" he growled.

Samantha started chuckling, searching through her computer's search engine until she pulled up Plato's dialogues that detailed the existence of Atlantis, "Oh, lighten up, Seto! Where's your sense of adventure?"

"I've had enough for my lifetime from just being Yugi's rival…"

Samantha was humming while reading what was up on her computer screen, "So…what happens to you when you faint, Gwen?"

"I see visions detailing the past of a woman named Nautia."

"Who is Nautia?"

Gwen breathed deeply, "Well, she's a Priestess of the Temple of the Moon who the King of Atlantis trusts. She has a lover named Critias, who doesn't trust the king, since he believes that the king has been corrupted." She glanced over at Seto, who was watching her curiously, "Eventually, someone killed her, though I don't know why…"

She was really beginning to wish that Niall was there with her…

"Just a thought, Seto…" Samantha spun around in her chair to look at him, "Maybe it's not so much that _you_ are trying to be killed, but maybe it's Gwen?"

Seto glowered at her, "I would love to know your thought process."

"I'm going on a whim that Nautia is related to you, Gwen. And if she has some past with this Dartz fellow, who may exist in our time period, then I'm going to say that he wants you dead." Samantha silently patted herself on the back, pleased with the connections she was making, "Another aspect of this, and I'm _sure_ you will _love_ this, Seto, is that you are being targeted because you're a reincarnate of Critias. If Critias was her guardian and lover, then removing him makes Nautia vulnerable." Samantha chuckled, "Or, in this case, makes Gwen vulnerable."

Seto grudgingly took out his deck, flipping through cards until he found "The Fang of Critias". He wasn't going to be able to get out of this easily. When he looked at Gwen, he saw fear in her eyes, and it tugged at his heart. If he abandoned her, what kind of man would he be? He finally had her again and he didn't want to let her go just yet. Damn, he didn't want to let her go at all. Not to mention, that somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew Niall's threat still stood.

"What are we going to do, Seto?" Mokuba whispered.

Samantha noticed that Seto was still in thought, looking at Gwen, "I think you need to start looking for Dartz or whoever managed to break into my estate." Seto finally glanced her way, "I can offer you assistance after I clean things up here, though I suggest you leave soon before they send more assassins."

Seto nodded, though he realized there was a piece missing in their encounter here. Someone had fired a gun and killed the man holding Mokuba, "Do you happen to have a sniper in this building?"

That made Samantha laugh, "It would seem that I have another break in, though he's on our side."

"That's a comfort…" Gwen muttered.

Samantha sighed, waving her hand dismissively, "You're welcome to stay a night, though I encourage you to create distance between this place."

"I'd rather like to get home." Gwen picked up her shoes, "I don't want my company to be jeopardized at any point."

Seto grinned, liking the way those words sounded, "I'll be on my way as well."

Samantha waved a goodbye as they left the room, drumming her fingers on the table where her keyboards sat. When she was sure they were far gone, she clicked a button under her chair to open another chamber on the wall, where a muscular man wearing all black and carrying a rifle over his shoulder strolled into the room. He removed the mask he wore, shaking out his hair, the color of wheat in the valleys between the mountains of his Irish home.

"You know, I was quite alarmed when you called me to ask if you could break into my estate…" Samantha said.

Niall bowed his head apologetically, "I was concerned about my Little Miss."

"Well, you'd better follow her, though keep your distance. She's going to need more than Seto to protect her."

"Will you be assisting her as well, Madam Crawford?"

Her face glowed with a school girl's giddiness, "Oh my! You are too much!" She chuckled while sizing him up with those green eyes, "I see why Gwen kept you around…but, please, Samantha will suffice."

"If you insist."

Samantha mused to herself as he fiddled with the scope of his sniper rifle. This man was willing to sacrifice anything for Gwen, and she wondered if that display had somehow rubbed off on Seto? It would do the bastard good to finally start caring about people… When Niall looked back at her, she offered him a smile, "Will you be staying the night? Or should I expect you to leave?"

"A night would be appreciated, Samantha."

She really liked the way his voice sounded when he said her name, "Wonderful! Why don't we find out what became of my house staff before we settle in for the night?"

. . . .

"You can stay at my place."

Seto was weighing his options while standing in the front yard of Gwen's estate. He wouldn't have minded staying the night, but with a threat hanging over his head and his company under fire, he wasn't sure he could waste a moment. It was good to see her though… "I think it's in my best interest to reach my company as soon as possible."

"That's understandable, but…" Gwen rocked back on her heels, shrugging, "…it's getting late and you're already here."

Seto sighed, figuring he wasn't going to convince her otherwise, "Fine, you win." But as she opened the front door, he hesitated again, "Wait…what about your mother?"

The question didn't faze her, "What about my mother?"

"Does she know about me…about us-?"

"No."

He could tell she was going to try to keep it that way, "So…how are you going to explain why I'm here?"

"You're just my business investment." She gave him a wink, and he couldn't help himself as he grabbed her around the waist and kissed her. When she began to laugh, he pulled away to see Mokuba brimming with delight, "Would you like to meet my mother?"

Seto wrinkled his nose, "Do you think she'll like me?"

"Maybe if you don't act like an asshole?" Seto scowled while Mokuba snickered through a laugh. Stomping off behind Gwen, he resumed his typical brooding demeanor, just in spite what she said. But all he got was her giggling, "You haven't changed one bit…"

He gave her a sidelong glance, "From what I hear, you've changed quite a lot."

She shrugged, leading him up a spiral staircase until they came to what he figured was the third floor of her mansion house, "Depends on your definition of 'changed'." She walked over to a door that was partially opened, peeking her head in to wave to her mother, who was luckily on the phone. Bracing herself for a reprimanding for leaving, she was relieved that her mother stood up and offered her a hug.

"I'm glad you're back so soon! We've found a few more evening gowns that we want you to try on – I have pictures of them on my desk."

Gwen rolled her eyes as her mother flipped through several folders, though she took the moment to beckon Seto and Mokuba inside. When her mother turned around, she gave her as big a smile as she could muster, "Mother, I'm currently settling a deal with Mister Kaiba here, and I've offered to let him and his brother stay the night."

She wasn't sure if her mother was mad, or just caught off guard.

"Well then!" Her mother walked back over to Gwen, pictures in her arms, "I will have the maids prepare one of the guest rooms for them." She seemed to be eyeing Seto Kaiba for the moment as if the words I HAD SEX WITH YOUR DAUGHTER were written across his forehead. She pressed a button on her phone and spoke hurriedly about arranging a room before addressing her daughter, "As I was saying, Gwen, here are some of the evening gowns we are thinking of ordering. We do plan for you to make through all the eliminations…"

Gwen blushed when she noticed Seto had walked up behind her, peering over her shoulder, breathing down her neck. She wasn't sure if he just wanted to get close to her or actually wanted to see the dress choices…

"The white dress is extraordinary…" he muttered.

Gwen couldn't help grinning, "I thought you liked me in blue better?"

He could have kissed her for that comment, but the curious glare from her mother made both of them blush for being so careless.

"Gwen, are you two involved-?"

"Heavens, no!" Gwen smiled as if it were an innocent misunderstanding, "Mister Kaiba was very helpful with my attire for the events in Japan."

Though her mother shrugged it off, Gwen didn't think she was sold by it. Giving Seto a glance, she flipped through the remainder of the photos, choosing several different gowns to be brought for fitting. By the time they left, Mokuba looked to be falling asleep standing up. Gwen had them follow the butler that was at the staircase, leading them up to fifth floor where all the guest bedrooms were. Seto kept glancing over his shoulder, assuring himself that she was following.

As soon as they were shown their room, Mokuba fell onto the bed and burrowed beneath the comforter, falling asleep instantly with a subtle snore. Gwen dismissed the butler and made to leave for her bedroom, which was on the next floor.

"Are we saying goodnight, Miss O'Malley?"

She slowly turned around to face him with a melancholy smile, "I'd rather not cause a fuss with my mother."

"Then it is goodnight…"

She nodded her head, too tired to reply, and trudged up the stairs. Teetering into her bedroom, she was too lazy to close the door all the way or turn on most the lights, though she managed to reach her bathroom without falling over. Turning on the water to the bathtub, she kicked off her heels and discarded her clothes before grabbing a bottle of lavender scented bubbles and pouring it into the bath. Once she thought it was filled and warm enough, she sunk into the water, covered to her shoulders in bubbles.

She could have fallen asleep since her body had finally relaxed, but knowing Seto was in her house was keeping her awake. What would have happened if she just told her mother that this was the guy she'd fallen in love with? Curling and uncurling her toes, she moved the bubbles around her tub while mulling over explaining to her mother that she'd had sex with Seto. Or, she could stick with her plan of not telling her…

By the time she climbed out of her bath, the water was cold and the bubbles had deflated. She wrapped herself tightly in her towel, leaving her damp hair to messily fall down her back. The numbers of her clock flashed, though it surprised her that it was only nine o'clock at night. As she crossed into her closet, she heard her bedroom door creak further open then shut with a small "click". She couldn't help smiling, though she felt too tried to move a single muscle as his footsteps grew louder on the floor.

Turning around, she stared up into those sapphire eyes that peered down at her beneath eyelids heavy with desire. Or maybe he was just tired…? She reached out to him, pressing her hand against his cheek and nearly melting when he leaned into her palm. It was a simple gesture, though powerful enough to bring him to his knees. She longed to feel him surround her, taste each breathless kiss while drowning in the warmth his body gave to hers. When he moved to kiss her, she knew words would never be able to express how they felt.

Hell, it wasn't like either of them knew what was going on between them.

He showered her with kisses, wanting to her that girlish laughter, though it saddened him that all he could feel was the tugging of a smile at the corners of her mouth. Lips hungrily claiming hers, she opened her mouth to his, allowing for him to devour the taste of her. Arms enveloping her, a tiny gasp escaped her mouth and she pulled away from him. He couldn't help panicking when she seemed to slip from his embrace, seizing hold of her forearms tightly enough to make her twitch with discomfort. He wasn't about to let her go.

Not again…

Seeing her fumble to form words, he decided against giving her that chance. He pushed her up against the wall and kissed her fiercely, ignoring how she squirmed in his arms. This struggle…It wasn't much different than the first time. Whether it was playing "hard-to-get" or her truly bothered by his gestures, he wasn't going to give it much thought until she grew violent. Her body stiffened beneath his, but the tension was quickly released when her hand slid up his chest to take hold of the loose tie around his neck.

She pulled him even closer, chests crushed together so he could feel each racing beat of her heart and her lungs' strain to draw in oxygen. She wanted him to know the effect he had on her, wanted him to know that leaving Japan was the hardest decision she'd ever made. Smothered by the heat of his body, she gasped for air as if she was being drowned and had just struggled to the surface. Their foreheads rested against one another's, chests heaving for oxygen as his hands shakily traced the curve of her hip where her towel remained her only barrier.

Eyes meeting, she held back tears to see all the pain he'd caused her reflected in his gaze. They'd damaged each other. Her hand slid around the back of his neck and pulled him into another kiss, though something had changed between them the moment their lips touched. There was certainly that fire, the one that convinced her to stop fighting against him. There was something else too. There wasn't a word for it, but it was that overwhelming sense that all his strength lied inside of her, that all her pain was swallowed in his gaze, that his confessions were never going to be words, only actions, and that her trust in him hadn't been for nothing.

There wasn't a word for that…

Breathless, bottling up their emotions that rattled in their cages inside their chests, Gwen began to wonder where words would ever fit into this moment. With so much to say, at what point was she supposed to say it? She felt his weight shift off of her, no longer pinning her to the wall, the warmth ripped from her body. Maybe now was the time to speak? Instead of letting her thoughts stream together to form a sentence, she ran her tongue across her bottom lip in hopes of inviting him back into an embrace.

But he just grinned, holding a hand out to her. She tightened her towel around herself first, which earned a small laugh from him, before allowing him to pull her out of her closet. She wasn't sure where he wanted to go, but she gave his hand a tug while sitting on the edge of her bed. Hand taking his tie again, she yanked his lips down to hers, kissing him deeply until he pushed her backward. Playfully crawling away from him, she laughed as he slid over her and showered her with kisses.

Lying down, she felt safe once his weight came onto her. That sensation of being unable to breathe washed over her and when his mouth claimed hers, she wasn't concerned with coming up for air. Her body hitched when he pushed her towel off of her, wiggling it out from beneath her to throw it on the floor. She blushed, though she wasn't sure why. He'd seen her body and introduced her to her triggers, yet she didn't want him to see her now.

"I didn't think it was possible for you to have gotten lovelier…" he muttered.

She furiously shook her head, still feeling embarrassed, "Don't say that…"

"It's true though." He grinned, leaning down to press his lips to her ear, "I'd like to think this is because of me…?"

"Don't flatter yourself."

He propped himself up on his elbows, staring at her fiery expression, "I see that you still have your attitude."

"I'm a stubborn and prideful girl, Mister Kaiba."

"Call me Seto."

Now that made her giggle, "Then call me Gwen."

She wasn't sure if he was smiling or smirking, but his eyes had lit up with ardor as she started unbuttoning his shirt. Sliding it off his shoulders, down his arms, leaving his tie askew around his neck, she wiggled out from under him and tugged his shirt on. He lay back against the pillows of her bed, admiring the way she ran her fingers through her tangled, damp hair.

"You're beautiful, ya know?"

She blushed, smiling uncertainly, "When did you start believing that?"

He moved toward her, wishing the room was brighter so he could see each inch of her. He held her face in his hands and kissed her forehead, "It took me some time…but when you left was when it hit me."

"I missed you so much," she murmured.

"I missed you too…"

She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, giggling a little when he yanked his tie off before pulling her into his arms. She was curled up against his chest as they lay down, wondering how much trouble she'd get in if her mother woke them up.

"We're in danger, aren't we?" Gwen whispered.

Seto's arm around her shoulders tightened, "I don't know what to expect."

"Can we make a promise?"

"Sure."

"Let's not leave each other until this is over…"

He shifted around, staring down at her again with a quizzical look on his face, "Until this is over…?"

"Neither of us can predict if we'll last. I don't want to keep you here if you don't love me."

He grimaced at her words, but he knew she was being cautious, "That won't be a problem, Gwen."

He was glad she smiled finally, "I'll hold you to that, Seto."

He was grateful to fall asleep next to her; though he couldn't help thinking that she didn't trust him still and he needed to prove himself to her. He was hoping that would happen sooner rather than later.

Waking up seemed so far away as they lay entangled together, sleeping dreamlessly. At this point, there wasn't any reason to dream of something different. They were content with what was they had. But their moment of peace was interrupted when Seto's cell phone began ringing in his pocket, blaring in the silence of her room. Both of them jolted upright, grumbling curses while Seto dug his phone out of his pocket and answered it groggily.

"Who the hell do you think you are calling me-?"

"We have a problem, Kaiba."

Seto sat upright, eyes moving to Gwen's clock which flashed three fifteen in the morning, "I hope it's worth calling me this early…"

"I didn't have time yesterday. I've only just been able to stop."

Her words took a moment to register, "Wait. What's going on, Samantha?"

He heard her sigh on the other end, "I found my house staff dead in the cellar of my mansion. It was in my best interest to leave and make it to my company headquarters in San Diego."

"What the fuck is going on?"

"I don't know, but there are way more problems. How soon can you get to Industrial Illusions?"

"I'll leave Chicago in an hour."

He hung up the phone glancing around the room to see Gwen already dressed, tying her hair into a messy bun. She had a small backpack that she began throwing a few things in. He clambered out of her bed and grabbed his shirt, which was lying on the floor. Not bothering with his tie, he walked out of her room and made his way down the stairway to the fifth floor.

"What did Samantha say?" Gwen asked.

"Her house staff was murdered. She didn't give me details, but she wants me to get to Industrial Illusions soon," Seto replied, walking into the room where Mokuba was asleep and shaking him awake.

"I'm going to assume I'm invited."

Seto grabbed his briefcase while his brother rubbed his eyes and stumbled behind them as they left the room, "Niall left you in my care. I'd rather not get shot for failing to protect you."

Gwen nodded her head, smiling to herself as they descended the stairs and quietly made their way to the door. She didn't have time to leave her mother a note or wake her up. It wasn't like her mother had any idea what was going on and as far as Gwen knew, her mother was more preoccupied with the upcoming Miss America Pageant.

Drowsily crossing the front yard, she hopped into Seto's helicopter, wearily smiling as Mokuba buckled himself in and was soon dozing off. To her surprise, Seto seemed very much awake, a look of irritation in his eyes. It appeared that he had reverted back to his old self…

"You alright, Seto?" Gwen asked, reaching out to touch his hand.

"I'll be better once this is over…"

Gwen shrugged, figuring she was just going to have to tolerate his mood swings. He was back to his edgy self, but part of her was pleased to know he hadn't completely changed. She found herself smiling as the helicopter took off, knowing her story book of adventures was starting a new chapter.

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><p><strong>alright... what did you think? I really enjoyed this chapter. and i think the next one i update will be even better. :)<strong>

**please review and stay tuned!**

**-TSA**


	21. Chapter 21

**An update? Is this real? Yes, it is. :) I hadn't realized that it's been several months since I've given you an update. i hope ppl are still reading this! **

**Sorry...**

**Well: I enjoyed writing this, especially the first convo. **

**enjoy!**

**-TSA**

* * *

><p>Chapter 21:<p>

It hadn't been very long since they'd left Chicago – it was only about five thirty in the morning. Mokuba was still asleep on the back seats, leaving Seto focused on flying and Gwen mulling over the silence. She'd dozed off a time or two, but was hoping at some point Seto might want to talk. He was still grumpy from Samantha's call, but she could also tell he had several things going on in his mind. This wasn't exactly the situation either of them wanted to be.

She glanced over the controls to the helicopter, finding the autopilot and clicking it on. Before Seto could yell at her for messing with things, she took one of his hands in hers and gave him a weary smile. His body finally relaxed for a moment and he slouched back in his seat.

"Do you want to talk about what's on your mind?" she asked.

He grumbled something incoherent before replying, "Not sure now's the right time…"

"It's not like we're going to have another moment." Gwen let go of his hand, bringing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs, "You seem upset."

Seto sighed, running his fingers through his hair a couple times, "What was your deal with that fruitcake?"

She should have known he was going to ask her about that. Of course, from the sour mood he was in from Samantha's call, she had to figure he was going through all the negative thoughts in his mind. It was just unfortunate to think that as soon as they had made up, they were on the verge of a potential argument. Looking out the window, she carefully answered, "I wanted to forget about you. When you called me 'Miss O'Malley' the day after, I felt used." A hollow laugh escaped her, "So, thinking this Amelda guy was genuine, I ran off with him. Turns out, he was using me to get to you…"

"I never meant for you to feel that way."

"Well…you did anyway." She bit her bottom lip, "I got this great idea about hollowing my heart. I learned from you that you have to be ruthless in business and in pleasure-"

"So that's how you got Lionel's company." Gwen's brow furrowed as she looked over at Seto's all-knowing smirk, "Samantha told me you had a real edge to you."

She shrugged, "How could you expect any less? Yeah, I seduced Lionel into turning over his company."

Seto laughed, "And how much did you enjoy that?"

"Oh please." She rolled her eyes, "All it took were a few drinks and caresses. Nothing too personal, if you get my drift."

"I'd call you a slut if I didn't know better."

"You just wish you'd been on the receiving end of my seduction."

Seto leaned toward her, giving her a wink while taking hold of her chin and pulling her face towards his, "I get jealous knowing you haven't let me see this side of you."

"Maybe when this bullshit is over, I can seduce you into turning your company over to me?" she chided.

"As if." Seto let her go, flipping the autopilot off to resume flying, "Though I'd definitely be game to see you try…"

Gwen couldn't help her laughter. How interesting a person Seto was turning out to be! She was starting to think she might enjoy herself in an actual relationship with him, "So, should I ask you about Samantha Crawford?"

He looked offended by her suggestion of it, "You've got to be kidding me if you think I was ever involved with her."

"Well?"

"No." Seto grinned, "She just loved prying into my life."

"Then explain why she was always in your office."

He grimaced a little at the thought of what to call her, "She's sort of…a friend…" He was glad he didn't hear Gwen giggle, "And I'm using that lightly."

"Only friend in the world, huh?" she teased.

He gave her a glare, but it only fueled her smile, "Where do you get off saying that?"

"You called me a slut."

"I said I'd call you that if I didn't know better."

"So, you're antisocial and I'm a social butterfly."

"Fuck buddies don't count."

She smacked him on the arm, deciding to pout while he laughed at her. Glad to know they could still take shots at each other…but it looked like he was always going to win… "Charming as always, Darling…"

"Pet names already?" He reached over and pinched her cheek, "Is this one of your seduction tactics?"

"Ya know what? I'm just gonna stick with calling you 'asshole'," she spat.

"I'm finding it hard to believe you whisked Lionel's company away from him."

"Aren't you supposed to be happy that you created me?" She gave him a wink, which he glowered at, "Just don't break my heart or I'll bring you to ruin."

"I'm starting to think I'd like to see you try."

Gwen glanced over her shoulder to assure Mokuba was still asleep and hadn't been listening to their ridiculous conversation. At almost six in the morning, she was surprised at the stirrings of desire in the pit of her stomach. All this talk of seduction made her want to prove Seto wrong. She'd love the opportunity to make him come undone by the small things she'd taught herself. He'd turn over his company without her asking. Not that she really wanted his company…

"Ya know…" She flipped the autopilot back on, one hand moving along his chest. Drawing his face over to hers, she licked her lips, "…if we weren't in this helicopter, I'd shut you up for good."

"Oh really?" He loved that challenge in her voice, "Don't temp me or I'll wake Mokuba to fly this thing so I can fuck you in the back seat."

"Sex on a helicopter? That'll be one for the bucket list." She laughed, despite that he was being serious in a demented way. She rolled her eyes, "Seriously? Your brother would practically be watching."

"You keep nagging at me about it."

"Are you that horny already? It's six in the morning."

"No!" He slapped her hand away when it fell against his thigh, "But some people like morning sex."

She lifted a brow, swearing that his face was a little red, "I'm beginning to think that you and I have a lot to figure out in our potential sex life."

He smirked, "I'm open to that discussion."

She couldn't help her burst of laughter, once again glancing over her shoulder to assure Mokuba was sound asleep, "Well then, what are your thoughts on foreplay?"

"Waste of time." He wrinkled his nose, "Would be less of a hassle if you would just get wet easier…"

"That's your fault for not turning me on fast enough."

He rolled his eyes, "And you?"

"I don't mind. Just not for a prolonged amount of time…"

"Fair enough…" He was silent for a moment, thinking about another question, "Bondage?"

"Only when it's you I get to tie to the head of the bed." She winked at him, musing on how red his face was, "A silk tie to keep your hands from being used. I think I could really enjoy that."

He didn't seem to like the idea of it, "No. Not happening."

"But you'd prefer to tie me up?"

"Depends if your being a pain in the ass…"

"Let's just say 'no' to the bondage." Gwen gave a shy smirk, feeling a tad embarrassed at her next suggestion, "Public sex?"

Now that sounded like fun...He glanced at her to notice that she wouldn't look at him, "I like a challenge."

Her face got even darker, "That might need to be on our list of things to do…"

"You dirty girl." He shook his head, hardly believing he was having this conversation with her. They only had sex _once_! Yet…they certainly were eager for the next time. Damn his hormones, "So…still against oral?"

"You can keep dreaming about me sucking your dick."

"Fine. Then we'll just say 'no' to oral completely."

She could see where he was going with that, but she wasn't going to buy it, "Fine."

Taking a moment to collect himself, he decided to get into more specifics, "How about positions?"

"Depends on my mood, I think." She giggled at her willingness to discuss this, "Gotta say the 'cowgirl' sounds like fun to me."

"You in control? Not sure how I feel about that…"

"You can't have all the fun."

"So is that a no to doggy-style?"

"I can see where that might happen." Her face had finally recovered and she wasn't blushing so dark anymore, "Standing, sitting, spooning…I think there are definitely options. My only concern is where."

"The shower, for sure." He gave that another thought, "Hot tub?"

"Sounds to me you like this water idea." Well, she had to admit that sounded amazing, "The floor, the wall-"She gave him a curious glare when she saw he had his eyes closed and seemed to be smirking, "What the hell are you thinking about?"

"You sure you want to know?" he hummed.

"I figure it'll save me the surprise of finding out later…"

He gave her a sidelong glance, "I was just imagining you bent over my desk as I take you from-"

"Are we there yet?"

Gwen and Seto both froze up, faces the darkest shades of red while Mokuba sat up and rubbed his tired eyes. They both cleared their throats, Seto switching back autopilot in an attempt to distract himself from the ridiculous conversation he was just having. The worst part was both of them were hot and bothered, and coming down from the high was a little difficult. But it seemed that Seto recovered first.

"We've got at least another hour, Mokuba."

Mokuba nodded his head and lay down across the seats, preparing to doze off again.

Gwen and Seto exchanged a glance, laughing lightly, though still embarrassed about their conversation.

"Well, I think we both can be thankful for Mokuba waking up…" Gwen muttered.

Seto was back to being tense, acting as though he hadn't heard her, "It would be better to focus on what's going on…"

"Uh huh…" She sighed while resuming staring out the window, "I hope Samantha's safe."

"I think whoever the sniper was in her mansion is working with her." And he had a hunch who that sniper was, "I'm sure he's keeping her safe."

Gwen chose to stop talking, figuring it was useless when his temper had risen again. He was so moody… Eyes watching the clouds rolls by, she tried to find a shred of hope in their current situation. Samantha's house staff had been murdered, Amelda was after Seto for revenge, and whoever this Dartz guy was, he certainly wanted her dead… And all of it was making her wish she had Niall with her. He'd know what to say to comfort for her, and just his presence would make her feel safe. But there was no trace of him after he left.

Niall had never told her much about his past or his life in general. He always seemed preoccupied with her because of how often he was involved with her day to day activities. She was beginning to regret that she never asked him more about his home in Ireland or about his family or how he came to America. She just accepted him as her bodyguard. What if he was in danger somewhere? Though she couldn't think of any trouble he'd have gotten himself in, it didn't make her feel any better.

Landing on a helicopter platform at the top of Industrial Illusions, Gwen stood from her seat and walked over to Mokuba to give him a little nudge. With her backpack slung over her shoulder, she hopped out of the helicopter, glad to be back on the ground, and looked around the rooftop in hopes to see Samantha somewhere. When Seto walked up beside her, she felt him taking her hand in his, a gesture that made her smile, especially when he brought her hand to his lips.

"Nothing's going to happen to you," he whispered.

She bowed her head, "I know…"

"As long as you're with me, no one will hurt you." He reached into his pocket, pulling his deck out to show her the top card – The Fang of Critias, "Guess I should put some faith in him…"

"Nautia did…"

Nodding her head, Gwen made towards the door that slid open to reveal a composed Samantha Crawford, looking as stylish as usual with a velvet red butterfly blouse, black skinny jeans, oxford styled bootie heels and a fisherman's cap to top it off. Definitely a more bohemian look…

"Glad you could make it." The edge in Samantha's voice wasn't present, "I realize the time difference won't be treating you too well, but there's been a lot going on since you've arrived…"

They followed after her as she gestured for them to walk inside, leading them down a stairway before stopping at an elevator. Samantha swiped a keycard attached to her belt and they all stepped in to be brought down to a lower level.

"Are you still in danger?" Gwen gingerly asked.

Samantha sighed, "Two men and a woman broke in here. I found them lurking around not too long ago. Fortunately, they are preoccupied with a fellow I'm sure Seto is familiar with."

"Is your company okay?" Seto replied.

"Depends…This Paradius company is still trying to buy out Industrial Illusions." Samantha shook her head, "I think your company is in more danger than you think."

"I don't see a purpose in buying me out."

"I'm not the mastermind here, so your guess is as good as mine."

The elevator stopped, Gwen tagging along behind Seto into the lobby of Industrial Illusions. They all suddenly halted at the sight of several other people their age who were assembled around a boy kneeling on the ground. The one fellow looked familiar, especially those violet eyes, and when the blonde on his knees looked their way, she froze. Those two were so familiar…so like in image to Timaeus and Hermos. Did they too possess a card?

"What are you doing here, Kaiba?"

Gwen pushed her way between Seto and Samantha, nearly tripping as she walked over to where Jonouchi was kneeling. She took his arm and brought him to his feet, noticing that he was holding a card in his hand that bore a likeness to Seto's. Everyone was watching her with wide eyes, having forgotten the statement the Anzu had asked.

"Is that card Hermos?" she asked.

The blonde blushed a little, "Uh…yeah…"

Once she was sure he was standing, she turned to face the boy with violet eyes, "Do you possess Timaeus?"

"Yes," he replied.

Walking over to Seto, she jammed her hand in his pocket, digging out his deck to take Critias into her hand, "I think I understand…"

Seto was trying not to yell at her for her embarrassing behavior, but the chance passed him as Gwen's eyes closed shut and she collapsed. He made the diving catch, cradling her in his arms as she fell silent and unmoving. She certainly knew how to make an entrance… He brushed her hair from her eyes, holding her as he patiently waited for the lapse to pass.

"What the fuck just happened?" Jonouchi muttered.

"Shut up." Seto glared at him, "This happens a lot…"

Samantha knelt beside him, taking Gwen's hand and pressing her fingers against her wrist to check her pulse, "One of these days I swear she's gonna stop breathing…"

_Well, this was certainly not like all her other visions. She was herself as far as she could tell. Still had her jeans on and black tank-top, but that didn't mean she wasn't about to be thrown into another strange situation. Wandering around the tiled floors of the high ceiling chamber she found herself in, she came across three circle platforms where remnants of ice were still melting. As she stepped closer, a bright light appeared. She braced herself, afraid it would transport her somewhere, but it slowly faded away to reveal a woman half encased in ice._

_ "Nautia?" Gwen muttered._

_ Those eyes…grey with a white section of them at the top of the iris…_

_ "We haven't been formally introduced, have we?" Nautia smiled, despite her apparent discomfort from being sheathed from the waist down in ice, "I'd come closer, but I'm a little stuck."_

_ Gwen walked over to her, "Is there a way I can get you out?"_

_ "Unfortunately, not." Nautia still smiled, "The key to my release was taken from you."_

_ "Who has it?"_

_ "Don't worry. It's not in the wrong person's hands."_

_ "So, if I have the key, I can get you out?"_

_ Nautia grimaced, "Unfortunately, no. There's a nasty spell on me." When Gwen lifted a brow in confusion, Nautia continued, "Upon my death, Dartz cursed my soul to be doomed to the netherworld between the afterlife and eternal nothingness. I can only be released by a blood tribute-"_

_ "Blood tribute?" Gwen murmured._

_ "If there is someone connected to my soul, then their death would release me."_

_ "So my death?"_

_ "You're not the only one who is connected to my soul."_

_ "Who is the other one?" Gwen was worried that it would be Seto…_

_ "The one who carries an orichalcos stone that hasn't been corrupted…" Nautia's smile had faded, "The stone was entrusted him without any knowledge of me. The stone was mine before death that I hid. It was to only resurface when a savior presented itself."_

_ "Is it someone I know…?" Gwen whispered._

_ "Yes." Nautia sighed, "He agreed to the task when I manifested myself to him in a dream. He was to seek out my reincarnate and serve as her guardian."_

_ Gwen choked on her breath, covering her mouth in horror. Tears were forming in her eyes, but she furiously shook them away. It all made sense now…Why he had to leave…She hugged herself, gathering courage from the memory of his embraces, "Niall…"_

_ "I never meant to cause you pain." Nautia reached out to her, touching her cheek, "But by releasing me, Dartz can be stopped."_

_ "But why?!" Gwen couldn't help the tears in her eyes, furiously wiping them away with the back of her hand, "Why would he do this…?"_

_ Nautia smiled again, "Why do you think? Because he loves you dearly…"_

_ Gwen wished that had made her feel better. Instead, she felt guilty, "Will I get to say goodbye?"_

_ "I hope so." _

_ The bright light appeared again, but Gwen was denied any further questions as she was hurled back into her body-_

Gwen jolted upright, clutching her shirt while panting heavily. She looked at Seto, who was still holding her, and saw her own tear stained face reflected in his eyes. Without a word, she threw her arms around him, forcing back her tears while she buried her face in his shoulder. Feeling Seto's chest rise and fall in a sigh as he held her tighter, shushing her and whispering as many comforting things as he could, she tried to stop crying. Despite not knowing what caused this, Seto found himself with an ache in his heart to stop her tears.

"What's wrong, Gwen?" Mokuba asked, touching her shoulder.

Gwen finally lifted her head, wiping at her eyes again, "It's Niall…"

Samantha froze at the name, shaking her head, "He's safe, Gwen."

"But he won't be!" Gwen shouted.

Seto took Gwen by the shoulders, giving her a slight shake, "What's going on?"

"Niall's going to free Nautia." Gwen paused a moment as more tears formed in her eyes. Anzu walked over to her and offered her a handkerchief, which Gwen took gratefully, "He has to give his life to release the curse put on her."

Seto sighed, holding her once again as she broke into sobs. There wasn't anything he could say to make this situation better. Everything was starting to make sense. That's why Niall had needed Seto to take care of Gwen. It just wasn't fair to have not told Gwen anything. If protecting her was his aim, he'd only succeeded in hurting her at the same time.

"Gwen…" Hearing her name made her sobs turn to hiccups as she tried to compose herself, "If saving Niall is what you want, then we need to destroy Dartz before he tries to."

Gwen nodded, slowly rising to her feet with Seto still holding her. She dabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief, taking in several deep breaths to compose herself. She managed a smile when Seto wiped away the final tear away with his hand. If there was something she could be thankful for, it was his refusal to behave any differently towards her when people were watching.

"Um, Kaiba…You have a girlfriend?" Jonouchi asked.

Anzu smacked him on the arm, "Don't be rude, Jonouchi!"

"Pardon my crying…" Gwen held her hand out to Yugi, smiling as best she could, "I'm Gweneth O'Malley, CEO of O'Malley Financial Corporation." She gave Jonouchi a glare, "Not that I expect you to know what that is…"

"Yep…_definitely_ Kaiba's girlfriend…" Honda muttered.

Samantha clicked her tongue impatiently, earning everyone's attention. She paced around the lobby for a moment, "Let's cut to chase, why don't we?" Her typical articulation had returned, "My father's soul has been taken by that orichalcos card. Seto's faced it before, as I'm sure you two have, Yugi and Jonouchi." She put her hands on her hips, still putting things together in her head, "Now, if any of you have an idea what's going on, now would be the time to say something."

Seto rolled his eyes, "Someone is trying to take over my company as well as yours, Samantha. Let's be honest, the idea of destroying the world seems a bit farfetched."

"Then explain why people are losing their souls," Jonouchi grumbled.

"My father's game has turned into one giant shadow game…" Samantha glanced at Yugi, "I'm sure you know what I'm talking about."

Yugi nodded, "It's not any different than Battle City."

"But everyone woke up from their comas-"

Seto was cut off by Samantha, "So it's a similar concept. We need to defeat whoever is holding all these souls."

Gwen's brow furrowed, "There's a god I remember from one of Nautia's memories." Everyone's eyes on her made her blush, "It's called the Orichalcos God…I guess you could say it's the essence of evil."

"Orichalcos God…" Samantha grinned, "According to Plato when he wrote about Atlantis, it suddenly vanished in one night. Supposing we're following Greek mythology, we can say that Neptune sunk it. But! If we're thinking about Nautia and this Dartz fellow…I bet this Orichalcos God resembles some kind of leviathan, like mentioned in the bible, since it's associated with the devil, i.e. the essence of evil. If that's the case, then that monster was set on Atlantis and whatever powers were fighting against it, only succeeded in weakening it, thus the city sank…"

Gwen lifted a brow, "I'd love to know how your mind works…"

Samantha grinned, "If that's the case, I bet this god is about to be revived."

"Well, you're probably not wrong." Gwen began pacing as well, trying to remember all the details of Nautia's life that she had been shown, "Critias told Nautia that Dartz was worshipping this god. But how did he manifest it?"

"That I don't know." Samantha laughed a little, noticing all the strange stares sent her way, "Well, do any of you have thoughts on this?"

Yugi shrugged, taking a card out of his pocket, "Your father didn't give us many details when he told me to come here. But he left me this."

Samantha examined the card, "Well, can't say my father clued me in on this…"

Ryuji stepped forward, blushing as Samantha looked up at him, "There was one door that wouldn't open when I cracked the security system."

"Then lead the way," she replied.

Ryuji stood there a moment, "Uh…you wouldn't happen to know who I am, would you?"

Samantha giggled, "Why of course, Silly. You pitched the idea of Dungeon Dice Monsters to my father."

"Oh!" He was blushing darker, "Yeah…He seemed to enjoy the game…" He grinned, "Well, I just wanted to say it's nice to meet the head of the dueling industry-!"

"She's not ahead of me!" Seto bellowed.

Samantha started laughing, "Suck on that, Kaiba!"

Before the two of them could go at each other, Gwen took Seto's arm and dragged him to follow Ryuji, who was enjoying his conversation with Samantha. There was an awkward silence when they finally came to the door that required key card access. Samantha took the card from Yugi, swiping it as she was used to with all the security of Industrial Illusions. But no one dared enter the room since it was completely dark. Gwen gave Seto a glance before pushing her way past everyone and stepping inside.

"Wait, Gwen!" Mokuba wailed, tripping behind her before taking her hand to walk beside her.

Seto sighed before following her, which prompted the others to walk in as well. The lights turned on slowly to reveal a room full of giant decorations the resembled Pegasus' most treasured Toon Monsters. Eerie as it was, there wasn't much time to ogle. A hologram appeared, revealing Pegasus' image.

"Yugi, I hope it's you who found this." The image began, leaving everyone in silence to hear what else he said, "If this hologram is playing, then that means I was unable to fend off the men after my soul. This all began so suddenly when a company called Paradius was trying to buy out Industrial Illusions. The man's name is Dartz, and he possesses a dangerous power unlike anything I've ever seen."

Yugi's brow furrowed, "Who's Dartz?"

"He's the King of Atlantis." Gwen wasn't sure anyone had heard her, but the disbelieving glances sent her way made her face turn red, "What? It's true…"

Samantha chuckled, "Oh, don't all act like you haven't heard crazy shit before."

The hologram continued to speak, as if having expected that conversation to develop, "You're all in danger. Dartz plans to use duel monsters as a way to steal souls for his Orichalcos God, which can destroy the world as it once destroyed his home."

Gwen grinned, "I know now where you get your thought process, Samantha."

"I'm my daddy's girl."

"After Duelist Kingdom I took leave from my company and researched the origins of Duel Monsters. It turns out that there was once a society where these monsters were real in a time even before the pyramids." The hologram's face looked distraught, "You must not let this monster rise or we will no longer exist. I have hidden a card in this room that I specifically designed for your use, Yugi."

The hologram turned off, leaving everyone in silence.

Gwen cleared her throat while pacing around the room, "Well, I guess we should start looking…"

Samantha hummed to herself while strolling past everyone toward a giant replica of Pot of Greed. Reaching into it, she pulled a card out and handed it over to Yugi. She laughed, "Problem solved!"

"It's blank," Yugi muttered.

"My father does have a knack for games…" Samantha grinned, "Don't worry. I'm sure it'll come in handy later."

"I can't believe this!" Jonouchi wailed, "How could some guy who's supposed to be dead be trying to destroy the world?!"

Gwen glanced over at Seto, who looked incredibly irritated, "Well, you losers are on your own. I've got my own agenda…"

As he turned to leave, Yugi called out to him, "Wait, Kaiba!"

"What for? I have no business working with the likes of you."

Yugi drew a card out of his deck, holding it up, "You have one of these cards, don't you?"

Gwen ran up to Seto, handing "The Fang of Critias" to him, "Yes…he does."

Seto wrinkled his nose, "So what?"

"This Orichalcos God is going to be more than any of us can handle alone." Yugi paused as a light began to shine from the three cards, prompting Jonouchi to take his out of his jacket pocket. They waited to see what would happen to Gwen, but she was still on her feet, "Trust that it's only right to join us."

Gwen gave Seto a nudge, "Nautia trusted Timaeus and Hermos as well as Critias…"

"If Critias had been smart he wouldn't have dealt with such idiots." Seto shook his head, "You should know this by now, Yugi, but I don't play well with others."

"Be reasonable, Kaiba. We need to work as a team-"

"No." Seto turned on his heel, Gwen trailing behind him with Mokuba, "Unlike you losers, I have a company to run."

Once out of sight from everyone else, Gwen took hold of Seto's arm to stop him. Looking up at him, she was at a loss for words since his expression was still irritated, "Are you going to help me find Niall?"

"My first priority is to keep you safe," he replied, hoping that was a good enough answer.

"But Niall might die..."

"How do you suppose we find him?"

"I don't know." Gwen bowed her head until Seto lifted her chin up.

"I won't lose you again, Gwen." He kissed her forehead, "I can't make the mistake of letting you get hurt."

"That was always Niall's job," she muttered.

"Niall asked me to take care of you." Seto grinned a little, "As a matter of fact, he basically said he'd kill me if I failed."

That made Gwen chuckle a little, "That sounds like Niall…"

. . . .

He watched as Seto and Gwen left the lobby, though Samantha Crawford joined them to allow them access to the elevator to bring them back to the roof. Perched in the shadows of the upper level, Niall was cleaning off his sniper rifle. The suppressor was glistening like onyx as he reattached it to the barrel. It clicked into place, a sound that pierced the silence. He'd refrained from shooting the intruders that broke into Industrial Illusions, not wanting to give away that he was in pursuit of them. He also had a deal with Raphael…

Leaning back against the wall, he pulled the necklace around his neck from out of his turtleneck. He examined the glistening green stone, watching as Nautia's eyes appeared and stared back at him. He'd need to act fast if he expected to save Gwen. She'd be in danger is Nautia wasn't released and he couldn't afford to let his soul be taken by the Orichalcos God. Dartz had power beyond his imagination, and he was praying that The Legendary Dragons had been entrusted to the right people.

He pulled his phone from his pocket, glancing at the message that flashed on the screen. Reading it quickly, he committed to memory the location he was asked to arrive at within three days' time. It wouldn't be too difficult to reach, but he was more concerned with his Little Miss being able to track him. Seto Kaiba was brilliant, not that he often wanted to admit that…

He turned his phone off, listening to the sound of heels clicking on the tile floor. Nodding his head to Samantha Crawford, he rose to his feet, "Will you be safe if I leave?"

"I'll be traveling around a bit with people, so I should be fine." She crossed her arms over her chest, "You knew about Nautia all along?"

"Yes."

"And you're just going to die?"

"Yes."

"What about Gwen?"

Niall smiled sadly, "She was never meant to be mine. I've accepted that Sir Kaiba is to watch over her now."

"It's a shame you're resorting to this…" Samantha smirked, "I'd hate to lose such an attractive companion."

Niall took her hand and kissed it, "The feeling is mutual."

* * *

><p><strong>please don't be angry...i know most of you love Niall...but this was my plan all along! SORRY!<strong>

**anyway: please review so that I have an idea if this is being read by anyone. I'd hate for it to be discontinued...**

**-TSA**


	22. Chapter 22

**Ha! And update! **

**Thanks everyone for the faves, alerts, and reviews. i got a surge the other day and pumped out this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own YGO or the song "Danny Boy". I encourage you all to look up the Celtic Thunder version. I just about made myself cry writing the scene with that song...**

**Enjoy!**

**-TSA**

* * *

><p>Chapter 22:<p>

The Kaiba Corporation in Los Angeles was just as ostentatiously designed as the one in Domino City. Gwen followed after Kaiba as he stormed inside, still grumpy from their run in with Yugi and his lack of sleep from the past few days. As he threw open the doors to his office, he discarded his jacket and tie before sliding into his chair. He pressed a couple buttons on the desk phone, calling for Isono. Noticing that he wasn't going to be distracted by anything she might come up with, she tapped Mokuba on the shoulder and gestured that she was going to leave.

Entering the elevator, she clicked the ground level button before taking out her cell phone. She flipped through recent emails she'd received, and ignored, from Jacque and the other men helping protect her company. She'd need them now more than ever if Paradius decided to turn its ugly eye to her. When the elevator door opened, she dialed Jacque's number while pacing around the atrium. She was beginning to regret not speaking to him when she was back in Chicago.

"Ms. O'Malley? I'm surprised you're calling me-"

"I have an assignment for you, Jacque." Gwen listened to him click his tongue, "I need you to research Paradius."

"Is Paradius going to explain why an anonymous man has been attempting to buy shares of your company?"

Damn it. Dartz was already moving in, "Yes. I need you to do everything in your power to protect all that my father built." She gave a moment's thought, lowering her voice, "Also…try to snag a share of Kaiba Corporation…"

"And why is that?"

"Because I think it's in our best interest."

"Well, you're the boss now." She heard Jacque lightly laugh, "I'll give you an update by tonight."

Gwen replied with a cheery goodbye before hanging up her phone. She began fishing through her contacts, looking for the strange number that had called her. If she could get a hold of Dartz, she'd be able to spin this devastating event to her advantage. She found the obscure number and dialed it, deciding to take her call outside to the warm California air. The number connected and she was surprised by the voice she heard on the other line.

"Gwen?"

She froze, her heart wrenching in her chest, "Amelda?"

"How did you get this number?"

"Because I've been called by it." Her brow furrowed, "How did you know this was my number?" There was a long period of silence, which made her agitated. She'd put two and two together at this point, "You've been fucking with my phone, haven't you?"

"Ya know…this isn't the best time to be talking about this…"

"If you hang up on me Amelda, I'll assure you a painful death!"

"Geez, after all we've been through?" Amelda sighed, "Let me explain myself. You owe me that much…"

"I owe you nothing after what you've done." Why were there tears in her eyes? She had accepted what he'd done, "You used me."

"Gwen, please. I hated that I had to hurt you-"

"Don't pretend like you weren't given a choice!" She shook her head in an effort to compose herself, "You were in it all along to hurt me…to hurt Seto…"

The silence won over for a moment before Amelda spoke again, "Please let me explain myself."

She wiped a tear away with her fingertips, "Only if you tell me where Niall is going."

"Niall?" He sounded surprised, "You mean your bodyguard?"

"Yes. One of you is after him."

"Raphael…"

"What?"

"I'll text you in an hour with a place to meet, ok?"

"Fine."

Before Amelda hung up, she heard him sigh again, "I truly am sorry, Gwen-"

She hung up the phone before he could continue speaking, turning on her heel and walking back into the atrium of Kaiba Corporation. She shook out her long black hair, finding some comfort in running her fingers through the thick strands. Leaning against the wall, she thought about where Niall might be. Why did he have to be so secretive? If he had just told her everything, she wouldn't feel so broken. But she had gotten burned by the truth…

. . . .

There wasn't much he needed aside from his deck, duel disk, and the glock semi-automatic pistol. He took the gun from its holster, hiding it in the pocket of his leather jacket. Lighting himself a third cigarette, he looked over his shoulder at the Suzuki motorcycle he purchased the other day. Jet black with a four cylinder engine and six speed transmission…He'd never spent money on himself, but he'd always admired a good looking sports bike. He was addicted to the thrill of driving fast enough that he would almost lose control of the bike.

Tossing his cigarette on the floor of the garage, he slid his helmet over his head before climbing onto the seat of the bike. The evening skyline was his destination as he revved the engine of his motorcycle. Destiny had finally caught up to him. Racing down the empty paved road, as if he were in a race and had gotten off the starting line faster than his opponents, Niall tried to keep his peace of mind as he wove between any cars in sight.

Nautia had spoken to him again in a dream the previous night, preventing him from sleeping for very long. Three days had passed within the blink of an eye while he was flipping through his old duel cards and reminiscing on memories. He thought of his mother and father, how he'd followed his father's footsteps and became a soldier, how he'd met Raphael in training…Brothers in arms they called themselves. His mother wanted a better life for him. When war broke out, Niall was taken away from his home.

He'd been whisked away, sent on a ship to America. His mother and father perished back home in Ireland. The only thing that was left was Raphael, who had already known the agony of losing his family. They remained close, but Raphael had a taste for revenge and when Ronan O'Malley offered Niall a place in his company, their friendship was strained for a moment. But now, as men, they were willing to rekindle what was left for old time's sake.

And when his father gave him that blessed stone before he was forced onto the boat for America… The moment he set foot on the shores of the United States, he knew something was alive in that necklace. He was twenty when Nautia had presented herself to him. He was already established as Gweneth O'Malley's bodyguard, but now had a stronger reason to protect her. He accepted his fate as he felt there wasn't much left for him…He could be with his parents again…

But that was a foolish reaction.

As Gwen grew, his heart no longer remained hibernated. He never wanted to feel the way he did for her, since he knew it would only make his decision harder. He had begged Nautia to choose another, but the other would have had to be Gwen. In his last act to control his emotions, he left her. Seto Kaiba was her guardian now, no matter how much it pained him. He was just praying she'd be spared from seeing him die…

It was an hour and a half ride, though it didn't feel long enough. He could have spent days on his new motorcycle. Riding through the plains, he searched for any sign of Raphael, but Death Valley was so vast that he could be left to search for days. Slowing to a stop, he took out his cellphone and went to call Raphael.

That was when Raphael rolled up next to him on a motorcycle of his own. They gave each other a nod before riding out a bit farther into the valley. Once they stopped, there were few words exchanged as they crossed the sandy ground. Dismounting from their bikes, they clasped hands in a strong shake.

"One last duel for old time's sake…" Raphael muttered.

"Just like on the ship over from Ireland…" Niall reached into his pocket, holding the gun both were familiar with, "You promise to keep your end of the bargain?"

Raphael shook his head, "You sure there's no other way?"

"I wish there were…"

"Have you told your Little Miss?"

"It's best that she doesn't know."

"Then we should get this over with." Raphael took out a pack of cigarettes, gladly accepting a light from Niall's lighter, "If I don't get the chance to say it, I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. It needs to be done."

They nodded to each other, turning their backs and walking several paces away from each other. Niall threw the gun onto the ground between them before activating the duel disk on his arm. He shuffled his deck without as much as a glance at the cards he possessed. It wasn't a matter of winning or losing, it was just a matter of enjoying this game one last time.

. . . .

Gwen was sneaking around the garage in Kaiba Corporation's basement, looking through all the cars parked there. Several limousines were lined up, but she needed something fast and small. Clicking on the light to the next garage, she found nothing but emptiness. She began to wonder if asking Seto to borrow a car would be better idea, but she didn't figure he was in the mood to wake up.

"What are you doing down here, Gwen?"

She screamed, spinning around to see Mokuba standing behind her, "Don't scare me like that!"

"Are you running off again?"

"I have something I need to do." She ran her fingers through her hair a couple of times. His beady eyes weren't going to let her hide anything, "Yes, I _am_ running off, but it's because I'm trying to find Niall."

Mokuba sighed. He walked over to the farthest wall and pressed a few buttons on a tiny keypad. The back wall slid open to reveal lines of cars that stretched beyond Gwen's imagination.

Her jaw dropped as she pointed to a red Ferrari 458 Spider at the front of the pack, "Can I?"

Mokuba already had the keys in his hand, "Go for it. I won't tell Seto…"

Gwen quickly unlocked the car, hurtling over the door to land on the driver's seat. She could get used to driving in style. Turning the engine on, she began adjusting the seat and mirrors while Mokuba ambled up to the side of the car.

"I'll be back late." Gwen couldn't help feeling guilty when Mokuba gave her a puppy eyed glance, "It's nothing personal."

"I just don't want you to leave again…" he muttered.

"I promise to come back."

"Where are you going?"

Gwen hesitated telling him, wanting to keep Seto out of it, "I can't tell you." She reached over to him and kissed him on the forehead, "And I need you to promise not to tell Seto."

Mokuba leaned off the car door, clicking open the garage to watch her floor the car out onto the street, "I won't…"

She felt liberated as she drove through the practically empty streets. The warm night air was refreshing, the breeze whipping her hair around until she was forced to tie it into a tight bun at a stoplight. Cruising for the next hour or so felt like the perfect remedy to prepare her for facing Amelda and hopefully Niall.

Death Valley was a gigantic place, but Amelda had assured her that he knew exactly how to get to Niall. His text didn't give too much information, though it still helped mend the aching in her chest. She wasn't about to forget what he'd done. She'd already been burned.

Turning on the radio in an attempt to distract herself, she was surprised she hadn't already gotten a call from Seto wondering where she was. Maybe Mokuba was going to keep quiet? The pit in her stomach seemed to grow into a gaping chasm. She'd left without telling Seto before, but was he going to think she was disappearing again?

No. She had every intention of coming back to him. She finally knew what she wanted.

Two hours later, she was speeding through the dirt roads of Death Valley. When she came to a wooden bridge, the meeting point Amelda had texted her, she hit the brake hard. Swerving from the lack of traction, the car slid to a stop. Parking and turning off the car, she hopped out of the driver's seat and twirled her keys around her finger. So far, no sight of anything but the moon and stars in the sky…

As she leaned against the hood of the Ferrari, she heard the sound of a motorcycle in the distance. Looking over her shoulder, she watched as Amelda rode up beside her. He took off his helmet, and when he looked at her, it was the first time she'd ever realized what color his eyes were. They were grey not unlike her own…

"Where's Niall?" Gwen demanded, telling herself to remain cold towards him.

"He's a bit farther from here." Amelda reached behind him and flipped up the seat to take a second helmet out. He threw it to her, "I'll take you to him."

She threw the helmet back at him, "I don't think so. I'll follow you."

"What do you think I'm going to do? Kidnap you?" He shook his head, "I'm doing this for you, Gwen. As an apology for how I hurt you."

"If you had really cared about me you would have never hurt me to begin with-"

"Did you tell Seto that?"

Gwen froze, biting her bottom lip to think of an answer. They'd already reconciled about it, yet Amelda was right. Had either of them truly loved her, they wouldn't have made her cry, "Seto was never in it to use me. You, on the other hand, were trying to get to Seto through me."

Amelda wrinkled his nose, "Did Seto ever tell you he was trying to take your company?"

"That was before he knew me."

"Why are you so devoted to him?"

"Because I love him." She played those words over in her head, "I'm done explaining myself to you. If you aren't going to help me, then I will find Niall myself."

Amelda tossed the helmet back to her, "Let's go then."

With a roll of her eyes, Gwen slid the helmet over her head before sitting behind Amelda on his motorcycle. She tentatively wrapped her arms around his waist, and when he hit the gas she buried her face against his back. She'd never ridden on a motorcycle. The feeling was exhilarating as well as frightening. She wasn't sure how long it would take them, but she was finally beginning to relax as they drove on.

. . . .

His nap had been longer than he intended, but he certainly felt refreshed. He walked over to the closet on the far side of his office, rummaging through several pairs of clothes until he found what he felt was appropriate for the "occasion" that had presented itself. Dressed in all black with his silver Kaiba Corporation jacket, he heard a quiet knock on his door. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Mokuba tiptoe into the room with a guilty gleam in his eyes.

"What's wrong, Mokuba?" Seto asked.

Mokuba was staring at the ground, "Nothing…"

"Then why won't you look at me."

"Because I promised…"

"_What_ did you promise?" Seto growled.

"That I wouldn't tell you…"

Seto's eyes widened and he grabbed his cell phone. Clicking Gwen's number, he waited to see if she picked up, but all he got was her voicemail. Slamming his fist against his desk, he called Isono instead and yelled at him to find if Gwen was in the building. Upon hearing that she was gone and so was one of his Ferraris; he almost threw his phone across the room. She was not worth all this aggravation…

"Did it ever cross your mind that you shouldn't have let her run off?!" Seto shouted.

Mokuba still wouldn't look at him, "She wanted to find Niall."

Seto softened for a moment, "Looks like we'll need to go after her."

He gestured for his little brother to follow him as he walked out of his office and towards the elevator. Dropping down to the basement, Seto pressed a button on the wall to open the garage where his sports cars were sitting. He decided to go with the black Lamborghini Adventador Roadster, taking the keys off a board on the wall. Sliding into the driver's seat, he waited for Mokuba to hop in before starting the car. It felt like a millennium since he'd driven himself anywhere, and the excitement was getting to him.

He wasn't sure if Mokuba was yelling at him or just yelling because of how fast they came out of the garage. He handed Mokuba his phone, which was tracing the location of his "stolen" Ferrari. He was going to have to calm down if he expected to be reasonable with Gwen. But he couldn't help the tugging at his heart. She was gone, just as easily as she had left his office back in Japan. No goodbye. Was she doing the same thing?

_'You never said goodbye…'_

_ 'Because I knew I'd see you again.'_

. . . .

It was his turn again, and Niall couldn't help feeling that he was enjoying himself in this duel. Despite it being his last, he was glad it was against Raphael. Drawing a card from his deck, he examined the cards in his hand. He hadn't been dueling particularly well since it had been years since he'd last looked at his deck, but he was able to laugh at himself.

"You really are rusty," Raphael yawned.

"I was the one who got a real job, remember?" Niall jeered.

"There was once a time when you were good at this game…"

"That time has certainly passed." Niall laughed while deciding on the card to play, "I sacrifice Hibikime and Maiden of the Moonlight to summon Guardian Angel Joan." He closed his eyes as a bright light washed over him as his card was brought to life, "I'll set one card and end my turn."

Niall: 1000

Raphael: 2000

"I play the equip card Rod of Silence – Kay'est."

"Predictable…" Niall rolled his eyes, "And let me guess, you're equipping it to Backup Gardna and then you're going to summon Guardian Kay'est…"

Raphael glowered, "And let me guess, you still don't have a strategy to stop it."

"Not at the moment."

Guardian Kay'est appeared on the field and Raphael set a card before ending his turn.

Niall moved to attack, "Guardian Angel Joan attack Backup Gardna!"

"Idiot." Raphael flipped his facedown card, "I play Crystal Seal." Guardian Angel Joan was encased in crystal, motionless on Niall's side of the field, "You're monster will remain that way unless you destroy Crystal Seal."

Niall smacked himself on the forehead, "I should have seen that coming…" He grinned, "I'll play Gemini Elf in defense mode and end my turn."

Raphael glanced at the cards in his hand, but didn't move. He breathed deeply before glancing over at Niall with tearful eyes, "The game ends here."

"I know." Niall looked over his shoulder as if imagining Gwen were standing behind him. His hand came to the stone tethered around his neck. Yanking it loose, he tossed it onto the ground, "I'm ready to say goodbye…"

Raphael struggled with his next move, "I play Celestial Sword – Eatos and equip it to Backup Gardna. And since I have no monsters in my graveyard, I will summon Guardian Eatos." He watched as Niall knelt on the ground and began muttering a foreign sounding prayer, "Eatos attack Gemini Elf!" Tears streaked down his face as he began to walk forward, "Because of Crystal Seal, Guardian Kay'est can attack you directly…" He picked up the gun between them, clicking the safety off and pointing the barrel at Niall's chest. But he couldn't pull the trigger.

Niall reached up and covered his friend's quivering hand, "I need you to do this, Raphael."

"It's not worth it." Raphael tried to drop the gun, but Niall's grip had tightened, "Don't make me do this."

. . . .

By the time Amelda's motorcycle came to a stop, Gwen had almost dozed off. Letting him go, she glanced around what looked like emptiness. She clambered off the bike and staggered around the darkness, her eyes straining to see anything. Amelda's hand took hers and gave it a squeeze before pointing out in front of her. There, in the moonlight, were two men. One was kneeling while the other held something between them-

She was in a dead sprint, trying to reach whoever was there. She ignored Amelda's shouts of her name, begging her body to find more in her. But she felt like she was only getting farther away. She screamed Niall's name. As she finally reached where he was kneeling a gunshot sounded. She froze, clutching her shirt as Niall's body slumped and he crumbled to the ground.

"NIALL!"

_Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling._

Gwen threw herself next to him, cradling his body in her arms. Turning his face to hers, she began to sob when she saw his closed eyes. _From glen to glen, and down the mountain side._ She hugged him tighter while sobbing into his shoulder. Her heart hurt so badly that she swore it would stop beating. Wracked by sobs, she finally looked up at the man who fired the shot. The gun now lay on the ground, which she quickly picked up and pulled the trigger. But nothing came out.

"You killed him!" She shouted, still clutching Niall's body in her arms, "You killed him!"

_The summer's gone, and all the roses falling._

Raphael wished she could see the tears in his eyes, "He asked me to…"

"Give him back!" She was now staring up at the sky. _'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide. _She pressed her hand over the hole in his chest, praying that some fraction of his heart was still beating. But there was nothing but silence, "Give him back…"

She was empty finally. There was hardly anything that kept her tied to this world now. The only men to have unconditionally loved her, Niall and her father, were gone. Bloody hand still pressed to Niall's chest, she began to wish she had seen those beautiful eyes one last time, the ones the color of snow on the ocean. _But come ye back when summer's in the meadow._ No more listening to his cool voice reprimand her and sing Irish lullabies in the shower. She'd never gotten the chance to say goodbye…

_Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow…_

"Gwen!"

She looked up, blinded by the lights of a car that just rolled up. Her tears were halted as Seto raced out of his car and stood beside her. He offered no words of comfort, and maybe that was for the best.

_'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow._

"Miss O'Malley." Raphael had finally composed himself, "I ask that you let me give him a burial. I wish to take him back to Ireland."

_Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so. _Gwen sniffled, "N-No…"

"Please." Raphael grimaced at the crack in his voice, "I've known Niall all my life."

"And you killed him!"

"I had no choice!" Raphael shook his head, kneeling down to her and taking her hand from Niall's chest, "Please. He deserves to go home." _But come ye back when summer's in the meadow._

Gwen slowly let go of Niall's body, watching as Raphael swept him up into his arms. She stared at her bloody hand as tears moved down her cheeks again. _Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow. _Hugging herself, she watched Raphael disappear in the darkness. Niall was gone. Niall was _truly_ gone. She had to keep telling herself that over and over in hopes for it to finally sink in. This wasn't just some nightmare. When Seto's arm wrapped around her, she threw herself against him and began wailing.

_'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow._

Seto didn't bother trying to quiet her since he felt she needed to let it all out. Niall really hadn't given them the option of saving him. Combing his fingers through her hair, he glanced at the ground where the orichalcos stone Niall had possessed was sitting in a pool of his blood. As she began to settle down, he kissed her forehead, "I'm sorry…"

"I just wanted to say goodbye...!" She caught herself and quieted her crying._ Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so._

"It's gonna be okay, Gwen," Mokuba chimed in.

"I wish I had the right words to say." Seto sighed, rocking her in his arms until she closed her eyes, "I don't want you to cry anymore…"

Gwen buried her face against his chest and muttered, "He'll be avenged…I promise…" She grabbed hold of the broken leather band that held the orichalcos stone. She held it tightly in her hands before managing to stand. _Oh, Danny boy, oh, Danny boy, I love you so._ She stumbled over to Seto's car, but was shaking before she could open the door.

Seto watched her fall to her knees, wailing again. He remained where he was, knowing there was nothing he could offer for comfort. For once in his life, he felt sorrow for another person's pain. He'd never seen someone so broken before. Shaking his head, he glanced at his phone to see that Isono had left him a message. He didn't bother listening to it when he saw Isono drive up in the Ferrari that Gwen had taken. Giving Mokuba a glance, he silently told him to ride back with Isono as he would take care of Gwen. Mokuba grudgingly agreed, though lingered as he watched Seto walk over to Gwen.

"Hold onto me…" Seto whispered to her.

Gwen wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing him to pick her up. He set her in the car seat, though couldn't let her go just yet. He kissed her forehead until her arms slid off from around his neck. What was he going to do to help her? Turning on the car, he left the scene as quickly as possible, Isono trailing behind him. The only sounds on the way back to Kaiba Corporation were Gwen's soft crying and the whistling of the wind. Both were eerie enough to keep him awake even as they reached his company late in the night.

Parked back in the garage, Seto took the liberty of carrying Gwen to the elevator and the rest of the way to his small bedroom in the building. He sat her on the sink counter before turning the water on in the shower. When heat began rising in the small bathroom, he carefully pried her bloody hand open to take the pendant from her. Setting the stained thing on the counter, he helped her to her feet. But she seemed too shaken to move.

Reaching out to her, he began assisting her in undressing. There was nothing sensual about it, just a gesture any adult would give a struggling child. That was the state Gwen had been reduced to. Sliding her tank-top over her head then pulling her jeans off, he watched her stumble into the shower, still in her undergarments. She crumbled to the ground immediately, knees tucked to her chest as she leaned against the shower wall.

Seto shook his head, throwing off his jacket, turtleneck, and pants before sitting beside her. She was so mesmerized by the way the blood washed off her hand that she didn't notice him wrap an arm around her shoulders. Soon, she curled up into him again and quietly cried, though he couldn't tell what were tears and what were water drops from the shower. He closed the screen to the shower, wanting to hide away with her for as long as she needed.

They had sat in the shower for over an hour, and Gwen seemed to recover in her own way. Her face was stone and expressionless even as she clung to Seto as he helped her stand. Wrapped up in a towel, she followed Seto into the bedroom. She saw that her small bag had been brought into the room, and she rummaged through it to find a dry bra and pair of underwear. Stripping out of her wet undergarments, she seemed oblivious to Seto's eyes that were glued to the exposed skin of her back.

Toweling dry her hair after she was halfway dressed, she looked over at Seto to see him sitting on the edge of his bed, black slacks back on. She crawled next to him, gathering up a blanket and wrapping herself in it. She lay down and turned her back to him, shaking despite the warmth in the room. He slid into bed next to her, wrapping her in his arms. After a moment, she turned around and gently kissed him. No words were exchanged as Seto grabbed a remote on the nightstand and clicked the lights off, wanting sleep to fix all of this so she'd come back to life in the morning.

But something had died inside of her.

* * *

><p>...<p>

**please don't be angry...you all knew he was gonna die. I hope i did him justice! Rest in peace, Niall. you were dearly loved by many of us.**

**would love to keep hearing from everyone so please review!**

**until next time!**

**-TSA**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hellooooooo...**

**So i wrote you all a chapter. this will be the precursor into the next big event! i will let you all think about what that may be...**

**Disclaimer: don't own the song Just Give Me a Reason by Pink. The second i listened to this song, i immediately thought of Gwen and Seto. it sorta just fits them!**

**Anyway, thank you all for the reviews!**

**Enjoy!**

**-TSA**

* * *

><p>Chapter 23:<p>

_The high ceiling chamber, the white tiled floors, circle platforms with ice melted away, it was all so familiar to her. But she wasn't going to just wander around there like the first time. She stormed over to where a bright light was slowly diminishing to reveal a freed Nautia. With little hesitation, Gwen seized Nautia by the collar of her dress and slammed her into the wall. If she couldn't hurt Raphael, she was going to hurt Nautia. Niall's life wasn't worth this woman._

_ "He's dead!" Gwen's hands tightened as she pressed her knuckles against Nautia's throat, "I hope you're happy!"_

_ "You knew it was going to happen!"_

_ "What makes your life worth this?!" Gwen let her go, turning her back, "You can't convince me that all this time Niall was prepared to die."_

_ Nautia was silent for a moment before reaching out and gently touching Gwen's shoulder. When she was shaken away, she sighed, "I'm not going to lie to you…" Nautia waited to continue once Gwen looked over at her, "When I first came to Niall, he had just lost his family to a feud in Ireland. He accepted the sacrifice to break the curse on me in hopes that he'd not have to live so miserably without his family." _

_ Gwen's brow furrowed, "I didn't know that…"_

_ "But when he came to know you…came to care for you…" Nautia bowed her head, "…he begged me to find another…"_

_ "The other would have been me."_

_ Nautia nodded, "He chose to sacrifice himself for the chance to keep you safe."_

_ "Why does Dartz want you dead?" Gwen asked._

_ "Because he needs my soul for resurrect the Orichalcos God." Nautia combed her fingers through her hair, "The Legendary Dragons sealed this god away when it first attacked Atlantis, sinking the city in the process. They would have never done so if it weren't for my spell. I completed the incantation before Dartz struck me down."_

_ "So it was Dartz who killed you?"_

_ "Yes. After he realized I betrayed him." Nautia laughed lightly, "It was all because I loved Critias…"_

_ Gwen pressed a hand over her heart, smiling to herself, "People do crazy things…when they're in love…" She blushed when Nautia gave her a quizzical glance, "Sorry. That's a Disney movie reference…" _

_ "A what?"_

_ "I'll explain it some other time."_

_ Nautia strode across the room, muttering something under her breath. Suddenly, another bright light appeared and the image of a knight dressed in black armor stood before her. They reached their hands out to each other, but it was as if an invisible barrier was preventing them from touching. It was heartbreaking to see them turn their faces away from one another as Critias slowly faded away like sand in the wind. _

_ "If we can destroy Dartz, then I can finally join Critias in the afterlife." Nautia closed her eyes and breathed deeply, "That is all I ask…"_

_ "How exactly do you expect me to do that?" Gwen set her hands on her hips, "I don't have magical powers."_

_ "But I do." _

_ "So what?" Gwen paced around in circles, "You're a spirit. At least Critias exists in a dueling card…"_

_ "I can exist in a similar manner. Just wear that necklace Niall once owned, and I will always be with you."_

_ The sound of Niall's name brought tears to her eyes, "I don't need your help. You've only caused me pain."_

_ Nautia's eyes narrowed into a glare, "If you deny my help, then I can assure that you will lose everything."_

_ "I won't lose Seto like you lost Critias." Gwen crossed her arms over her chest, glaring back at Nautia, "I'll wear the necklace because of Niall, but don't expect me to ever ask for your help."_

_ "I look forward to when I can say 'I told you so'."_

Gwen woke with a start, clutching the blanket she had wrapped herself in. She felt an emptiness to the bed she lay in, noticing that Seto was no longer holding her. She was alone. Shaking her head, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and calmed herself down. Her heart was racing so fast she thought it was going to leap out of her chest. When she looked across the room, she faintly smiled to see Seto sitting on the floor watching her intently.

"Why are you over there?" she asked.

Seto slowly stood, stretching his arms above his head, "Because you were thrashing about in your sleep. I feared for my life about halfway through the night."

"Did I hit you?"

"Almost broke my nose." He shrugged, "So I took cover."

"Sorry…" She wrinkled her nose as he sat down on the side of the bed, "Thank you for last night…"

Seto touched her chin, bringing her face closer to his, "I wasn't sure you would want to talk about it."

"I don't…I just…" She sighed heavily while pushing back the tears in her eyes. When she bowed her head, Seto held a necklace in front of her eyes. It was a gold chain with Niall's orichalcos stone attached to it. He carefully placed it around her neck, watching as she clutched the stone in her hand, "When did you-?"

"This morning." Seto kissed her on the forehead, "I figured you would want to keep it with you."

"Thank you."

She crawled onto his lap, arms wrapping around his neck as she kissed him deeply. His hands on her hips drew her closer until their chests were pressed tightly together. This tiny moment was enough to remind Gwen that Nautia had once felt the same way. It made her sympathize with the old priestess. Foreheads pressed together, breathing entwined, Gwen began to shake. Those tears were trying to force their way out of her eyes.

"You can cry if you need to…" Seto whispered.

She broke down, burying her face into his shoulder. Her fingertips dug into his skin as she tried to hide herself further against him. He never made a sound, didn't try to move aside from holding her tighter. Somehow, he was beginning to understand her pain. There wasn't a need for words just yet.

"I just wish I could have said goodbye…" She clutched the stone around her neck, feeling Nautia's pulse in her hand, "Now all I have is this priestess."

"Maybe this priestess is what you need?" Seto ran his fingers through her hair, "I can't lose you, Gwen…"

Looking into those sapphire blue eyes, she felt her body grow slack. She kissed him again, falling back against the bed sheets. The warmth of his body surrounded her, and she just wanted to drown in it. But her heart was too broken to open itself up to Seto as it once had. When their lips fell from one another's, Seto shook his head.

It just wasn't the same. She was reserved, on guard once more. Sliding off the bed and rising to his feet, Seto picked up his jacket, leaving the room without as much as a word to her. He hated thinking that Niall's death had pushed her away from him, as he had hoped it would bring them together.

Slumping into his office, he locked the doors behind him. Throwing his jacket on the couch, he walked over to his desk to see that he had several messages left on his phone. Most were useless calls, though the last one had been from Samantha. Listening to her voicemail, he heard her explain how she was with Yugi and his friends and that she was trying to help a young girl named Rebecca find her grandfather.

Deciding it wasn't something he was interested in; Seto deleted the message before falling into his chair. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling exhausted from the emotional turmoil he'd experienced. It was painful to be so attached to one person. He'd never known what it was like to want someone's affection.

He kicked his feet up on his desk while trying to push his thoughts about Gwen to the corners of his mind. At the moment, he needed to protect his company and find a way to strangle that fuck named Amelda. A grin stretched across his lips as he mulled over how he was going to bury Amelda in their next duel-

His phone began blaring on his desk. Reaching for it and clicking the talk button when he saw Isono's number, he sat upright, "Isono?"

"Mister Kaiba, we have a bit of a problem."

"Define _problem_…" Seto held his breath, thinking of the worst that could possibly happen.

"Stock has fallen through the floor and one unknown investor just bought half of Kaiba Corporation."

"What?!" Seto nearly fell out of his chair. How the hell was this happening?! He thought that it had just been a hoax when he first met that Amelda guy, "I need you to research everything related to a company called Paradius. Do not call me back unless you have answers." Hanging up the phone, he nearly slammed his head into his desk, but his phone rang again, "What?!"

"I have more bad news, Mister Kaiba."

"It can't be as bad as half my company being bought out…"

"Another unknown investor just purchased twenty five percent of the company…"

"How?!"

"I'm sorry; Sir, but we can't trace either company."

"That's not a good enough response, Isono." Seto groaned, feeling a migraine coming on, "Look into Paradius and I'll deal with this second company." Hanging up the phone, he realized that about twenty five percent of Kaiba Corporation was left to him. How could two investors remain anonymous when buying him out? It just didn't make sense.

He was beginning to wonder if that was Dartz's plan. He might be running two companies to stage his overthrow and to distract Seto. But he was choosing to follow after Paradius… And if there turned out to be two companies, then he'd destroy the other when he was done with Dartz.

. . . .

Well, it certainly could have been worse. At least it was a clean mobile home. Of course, when she heard that the Hopkins residence had been destroyed, she had to sympathize with little Rebecca. She knew the feeling of not having a home, not just because someone had invaded her corporation, but from those years she spent as an orphan.

She smiled at the memory of the man she would later call father. When Pegasus saw her test scores for applying to high school at the age of ten in hopes to be given a foster family for the time being, he adopted her without question. She finished school under his guidance, slowly opening up, especially with Pegasus's love for cartoons. She felt she could be as young or old as she wanted to be when he was around.

And it made her sad to think that he was trapped by Dartz. When this whole thing was over, she was going to suggest a long vacation somewhere tropical so they could spend a few weeks together. She was starting to think she was going to need a break.

Knees tucked to her chest as she sat on a bed in the back, she heard footsteps from around the corner as a shy Ryuji glanced over her. She tried to refrain from laughing as he waved and awkwardly remained standing there and staring at her. Waiting to see if he finally came over, she stood up and strolled past him.

Ryuji quickly followed after her, crashing into the refrigerator in the process. He howled, though straightened up as soon as Samantha glanced over at him. Rubbing his head, he fell into a seat across from her at the table, but he leaned too far back and the chair came out from under him. When he hit the floor with a thud, he heard Samantha giggling.

Well, at least he made her giggle…

"You seem to be having a hard time," Samantha jeered, smiling brightly.

Ryuji glanced up at her, his face a dark shade of red, "You have that effect on me…"

She giggled again, drumming her pink acrylic nails on the table. The least she could admit was that he was cute, "You would not be the only man who feels that way."

"You have a boyfriend?" He finally got off the floor and sat down when he set his chair back upright, "Forget I said anything…"

Samantha howled with laughter, "No, Silly! I'm a single lady." She hummed a little, coyly smiling, "I have a persistent admirer who wishes to marry me."

"Are you already thinking of marriage?" Ryuji smacked himself for asking that.

But she was still laughing, "No. I'm not. I just find it very amusing."

There was an awkward silence where Ryuji watched Samantha as she stared out the window. He was picking through each of her features, sighing at those green eyes beneath her black rimmed glasses. He loved how big her eyes were; it made him appreciate the color of them. What intrigued him most was her impatient tapping of her nails, as if she were sorting through so many things on her mind. Going on a whim, he took her hand in his.

Her eyes met his, and the faintest blush rose in her cheeks, "You wanna talk about what's on your mind?"

Samantha bit her bottom lip, trying to hide her smile, "I'm simply musing."

"I just thought that you were bothered since you keep tapping your nails…"

Her eyes widened for a moment, but she finally smiled, "I just miss my father, that's all."

"Well, you've got a lot of support here." Ryuji glanced over his shoulder to see Honda and Jonouchi raiding the refrigerator, "Not all of us are high class or have manners, but we're pretty good at the saving people ploy."

"I appreciate that." Samantha pulled her hand from his, much to Ryuji's disappointment, "I think I'm going to take a nap." When she started walking towards the back room, she glanced over her shoulder at him, "Thank you."

Ryuji just smiled stupidly, still dazed from having held her hand. She was such an attractive girl, and he was hoping she'd find him just as attractive. Not to mention, when he found out who that the joker was that was trying to marry her, he was going to take care of that.

"What's with the stupid face, Ryuji?"

He glanced to his left, glowering at Honda and Jonouchi, "It's not stupid. It's infatuated."

"Regardless, why do you look like an idiot?" Honda snickered.

Ryuji's face turned red, "I don't look like an idiot!"

"You've got the hots for Samantha, huh?" Jonouchi teased.

"She's a very respectable woman-"

"The fuck's that supposed to mean?"

"She's brilliant! And I think that's attractive!"

Jonouchi was trying to contain his laughter, "Have you noticed her ass yet? It's pretty fine from what I could see."

"Don't talk about her like that!" Ryuji was on his feet, hands in fists, "Unlike you, Jonouchi, I respect women."

"I'm respecting her figure!"

Ryuji rolled his eyes, "Oh please. You don't know the first thing about women…"

"And you do?"

"Yeah." Ryuji sat back down, "Just watch and learn, Jonouchi."

"While you dorks were talking about me, thinking I wouldn't hear, did any of you care to notice that Yugi is gone?" Ryuji, Jonouchi, and Honda went pale while Samantha walked into the kitchen. She set her hands on her hips while they all stared at the ground, "Well, seeing as I'm the only one who noticed, I suggest we go after him."

"Leave it to us!" Jonouchi shouted, giving her a toothy smile, "We'll go get him-"

Ryuji irritably sighed, "Do you intend on walking? You won't get very far if that's your course of action."

Honda glared at Ryuji, "What would you have us do?"

"I'd have you stop being stupid." Ryuji stood up, digging his car keys out of his pocket, "I've got a car."

"Thought those pants were too tight for pockets…" Jonouchi muttered.

Ryuji glared at him, but he was interrupted by Samantha stealing the keys right out of his hands. His jaw dropped as she opened the door to the mobile home and walked outside. They chased after her, stopping to watch her slide into Ryuji's 1964 Ford Mustang convertible. When she gave them a glance, they immediately raced to see who would get shotgun.

Ryuji ousted Jonouchi in his attempt to cut in front of him, sliding into the seat next to Samantha. As soon as Jonouchi and Honda hopped in the back, Samantha started the car up.

"You sure you know how to drive a stick shift?" Honda asked.

Samantha chuckled, "Am I making you nervous?"

He blushed, "No! I was just…checking…"

"Of course I know how to drive a stick shift, Silly."

Judging by the speed she hit down the dirt road and her control on the car, Honda wasn't going to question her anymore despite his screaming in the backseat.

. . . .

He'd been in his office all day, the only visitors being a phone call from Isono and Mokuba peeking in every once in a while. Things weren't going all that well with deciphering Paradius or the other company that had bought him out. Clinging to twenty five percent of his company was making him nervous, which didn't happen often. For someone who prided himself on being able to retain his composure, he was starting to lose his mind. What would people think of him now? How could he be feared in the business world when he was losing control of his company?

And yet…with his world seeming to crash down on him, he had spent most his day thinking about Gwen. Mokuba had said she was still lying in bed, and she hadn't eaten despite his efforts. It wasn't that he was expecting her to be able to get over Niall's death so easily; it was just that he had expected that they would be "together" now. He'd never really brought that up with their current feelings and displays of affection that maybe they should consider calling it a relationship. Like…boyfriend and girlfriend…

That seemed like such a juvenile thought, but he couldn't help it. He really didn't want her to just leave him, to think it wasn't going to work now. Had Niall's death shaken her to the realization that all her affections were misdirected? Had she not realized her love was Niall? As painful as it was to think about, Seto tried not to feel hurt by it. He was used to ruthlessness…in business and in pleasure…

Pulling open the bottom drawer of his desk, he took out a bottle of Maker's 46 Bourbon Whiskey that he'd purchased the last time he had business over in the U.S. He stood and walked across the room where a refrigerator was against the wall. While filling a glass of ice, he decided that a drink or two could distract him for a while. He poured a full glass and stomped back over to his desk to fall into his seat.

Halfway through his drink, he heard the door of his office creak open. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Gwen inch her way inside and quickly close the door behind her. He'd almost forgotten that he had unlocked it a few hours ago when Mokuba first came knocking. Standing up, he wasn't sure exactly what he intended to do aside from stare at her. She hadn't moved beyond the door as if she were waiting for him to do something.

_Right from the start you were a thief._

When he picked up his glass of bourbon, he took several drinks from it before speaking, "Are you feeling any better?"

_You stole my heart and I your willing victim. _"I think so." Gwen kept her eyes on the floor, "Look, about earlier-"

"There's nothing to say about earlier. You need time to mourn." Seto started pacing around the room, trying to keep himself from saying something he regretted despite what the alcohol suggested.

"You're mad at me." _I let you see the parts of me that weren't all that pretty and with every touch you fixed them._

"If I were mad at you, I wouldn't be speaking with you at this point."

"Then why are you treating me so differently?" _Now you've been talking in your sleep oh oh_

"Because you need space. You made that clear to me earlier."

Gwen didn't reply immediately, finally looking up at him as he finished his glass of bourbon. _Things you never say to me oh oh._ Her hand clasped around her new necklace, "I'm sorry if I can't be more open with you."

"Sorry?" He scoffed at that, "I'm just trying to figure out what game you're playing."

_Tell me that you've had enough of our love, our love. _Her eyes widened, "Game? This isn't a game, Seto."

"Then I'd love to know what it is." _Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough. _He sat down at his desk, glaring at her, "I realize I was the reason you left Japan so quickly, but I found you again. I would have thought it was enough just being together-"

"How can you expect me to trust you wholeheartedly when you practically _used_ me?" she spat.

"_Used_ you?" His temper was slowly rising, especially when she set her hands on her hips and matched his seething glare. _Just a second we're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again. _In the back of his mind, he was proud to know he'd made her this way. But now, he wanted her to be intimidated by him again, "_You_ came to my office that night. _You_ kissed me first. _You _didn't tell me to stop-"

"I blame the wine." Gwen wrinkled her nose, "_You_ offered me a drink. _You_ kissed me back. _You_ instigated everything-!"

"Fine! Then we both know _exactly_ what happened!" He stood up from his chair, slamming his hands on his desk, "It was a one night stand. No affections, no commitments, no regrets!"

_It's in the stars, it's been written in the scars on our hearts._

Gwen's brow twitched and she bit on her bottom lip, "Fine."

_We're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again._

Slowly falling back into his chair, he watched her move across the room to stare out the window. Pouring a second drink, he sighed heavily before deciding to mend his harsh words to her, "What made you call me?"

She lifted a brow at first before finally realizing he was referring to that debacle where all her messages hadn't gone through to him. _I'm sorry I don't understand where all of this is coming from._ And as of now, she was happy they didn't so that he couldn't have the satisfaction of knowing how miserable she had been, "No reason in particular-"

"You shouldn't try lying." He stood up and walked over to her, glass still in hand, "Because neither of us have time for that."

_I thought that we were fine (Oh we had everything)._

She scowled, "Fine. I was upset that next morning because…" She didn't want to admit to anything, so she chose to just cut herself off.

"Come on, Gwen." Seto rolled his eyes, "I'm not playing games with you." _Your head is running wild again, My Dear, we still have everythin'._

Throwing her hands up in the air, she pushed past him to give herself more room to breathe, "You win!"

"I'd love to know what that implies…" he grumbled. _And it's all in your mind (Yeah but this is happenin')._

She turned back towards him and held her arms out wide, "I realized I had feelings for you!"

Seto wasn't at all surprised by this._ You've been havin' real bad dreams oh, oh._ Frankly, he just wanted to hear her say it. Sipping on his drink, he mulled over the right reply, "_I_ realized it when you left…" He sighed, "…when there was an empty seat beside me at the bar…" He looked over at her, blue eyes meeting grey eyes as he sighed, "I only want to know if you think this is worth it."

_You used to lie so close to me oh, oh._

Gwen ran her fingers through her hair, "We agreed to stay with each other until this was over."

"I don't want to think that I'll lose you." Seto downed the rest of his drink, knowing it was the alcohol that had loosened his tongue._ There's nothing more than empty sheets between our love, our love, oh our love, our love._ But his words had brought back a softness to Gwen's features, "I don't know if you remember, but that night you had asked me to stay with you, and I told you 'until the end'. I want to keep that promise, but you can't keep shutting me out."

"Shutting you out?" She curled her hand into a fist, "You are renowned for secrets and lies! The more I think about it, the more I don't know you!" _Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough._

"So Niall dies and now you feel nothing towards me?"

_Just a second we're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again. _Gwen was silent for a moment, watching Seto shake his head and walk over to his desk to pour a third drink, "You understand nothing about sympathy…"

"I wasn't raised to have sympathy or expect to be given it." _I never stopped, you're still written in the scars on my heart. _He stared out the window, trying to shut out all his past memories as a child, "I'm _trying_ to understand it now-"

"Then understand that I can't just fall back into your arms like I had," she interrupted.

_You're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again._

He shook his head with a laugh, "I guess that had been my expectation…"

"You do realize where this all began?" When he didn't reply, Gwen sighed irritably, "We feel this way because of a one night stand." _Oh tear ducts and rust._

"You were my first everything. It's made me territorial!" He was cursing himself in his mind for so easily changing places with her. He'd hardened her and she'd softened him. _I'll fix it for us._

"I'm no one's property, Seto. I can do as I please-" _We're collecting dust, but our love's enough._

"I'm asking that you do as you please with me in mind." _You're holding it in._

"Why do you care so much?" _You're pouring a drink._

Seto shrugged, "Because you've left your mark on me." _No, nothing is as bad as it seems._

She started to feel guilty for putting up such a front against him, "Oh…"_ We'll come clean._

The silence in the room was overbearing and when Gwen turned to leave his office, he set his glass down and chased after her. Taking her arm and slamming the door shut as she tried to open it, he pulled her against himself. No further gesture was offered as her hands braced against his chest. Looking down at her, he wanted to say the right thing, wanted to make her see how painful it had been when she left without a goodbye, but there just weren't any words for it all.

_Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough._

"Every time we get close, something tries to pry us apart." The words were finally forming, "It's as if…"

"…we're not meant to be…"

_Just a second we're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again._

Seto slowly let her go, turning his back as he walked over to his desk, "Maybe we should just…?"

"…take it one step at a time…"

_It's in the stars, it's been written in the scars on our hearts._

He grinned to himself, "I was threatened into protecting you. The least I can do is accomplish that before I let you go."

"I just need time, Seto." She opened his office door, "Niall meant a lot to me."

_We're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again._

When the door closed, Seto fell to his knees while clutching the edge of his desk. He couldn't remember the last time he cried, but he knew this time was because of the alcohol. His emotions were personified and his thoughts were running wild. _Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough. _That shred of happiness in his life was in danger of being torn away from him. Composing himself, he wiped away the last of his tears, but he didn't have the energy to pull himself off the ground.

He was replaying every wrong thing he might have said in pursuit of trying to understand what had driven a stake between them. Last night when she had laid in his arms, he thought that the world might have been in order. But her unwillingness to seek comfort in his kiss was still bothering him. Maybe he truly didn't understand how to comfort someone? _Just a second we're not broken just bent, and we can learn to love again._

Resorting to just sitting on the floor, he felt his vision blur for a moment. _It's in the stars, it's been written in the scars on our hearts. _Teetering to the side, he saw someone standing in front of him. The man was dressed in black armor, but that wasn't even the alarming part. It was seeing his face staring back at him. Too weak to lash out at the image, Seto waited in hopes that it would just leave. Instead, it began to speak to him in a voice so familiar.

_We're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again._

_"Nautia was always a fickle one…" _the knight chuckled.

Seto's eyes had grown to the size of his head, "You've got to be kidding me…"

This seemed to amuse the specter, _"We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Critias."_

"I must be more of a lightweight than I thought..."

Critias began to laugh, _"We can communicate thanks to Nautia being free-"_

"I am _not_ going to make that a habit." Seto breathed deeply, collecting his thoughts, "What the hell do you want?"

_"I came to offer a little comfort-"_

"I don't need comfort, especially not from a figure of my imagination."_ Oh, we can learn to love again._

_"I'm not from your imagination. I'm from the card you now possess called the 'Fang of Critias'."_

"So…my card has a spirit?" Seto smacked himself on the forehead, "This can't be happening to me…"

_"Well, it is."_ Critias sat down beside him, _"Do you mind me giving you some advice?"_

"If I say 'no', are you going to tell me anyway?" Seeing the knight smirk, Seto knew he didn't have an option, "Fine. Go for it."

_Oh, we can learn to love again._

_"I'm sure you've heard of Nautia. She is the woman I still love, but time has not allowed us to pass into the afterlife together. She was murdered when I let her out of my protection, a decision I still regret…"_ Critias paused a moment, clearly still troubled by it, _"Before Atlantis fell into darkness, I was maddened by my desire for her. We sinned before the gods, for she was a priestess sworn to celibacy. She always pushed me away; despite every time she confessed her feelings towards me. This cycle seemed endless until our final days…"_

Seto wrinkled his nose, feeling sorry for this specter, "I'm not going to let Gwen slip away from me like that."

_Oh, oh, that we're not broken just bent and we can learn to love again…_

Critias nodded his head, _"Don't make the mistake I did. I thought it would make her love me more if I gave her the space she desired, but it ultimately killed her. She'll argue in the beginning, but just know that she'll be grateful to you in the end." _Critias's voice cracked, and he cleared his throat before continuing, _"And you won't ever have to regret losing her like I lost Nautia…"_

Seto watched as Critias slowly disappeared, as if he were dust blowing away. Alone in his office, he clambered to his feet, sickened by the sight of his still full glass of bourbon. Making his way over to his couch, he fell down with his face in one of the pillows. The alcohol and Critias's words were making him tired. Despite his desire to curl up against Gwen, he decided to let her have her space for today. He was going to take Critias's advice and not let her slip away so easily. She'd throw a hissy fit, but he wasn't going to let her win.

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><p><strong>What did you think?<strong>

**Samantha and Ryuji = my new obsession (haha)**

**Gwen and Seto...it just ain't gonna be easy. **

**I would appreciate hearing from all of you! Please review.**

**Until next time,**

**-TSA**


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